Need Help Creating Habitat for Birds?

    Every spring and fall we offer suggestions about how to make your yard and community a place birds and other wildlife can flourish. By now we all know the basics – Keep it wild – but naturally so – without invasives! Use native plants that provide year-round food and shelter in layers Use […]

The Problem With Purple Martins In The Amazon

  These elegant and graceful songbirds are beloved throughout the Americas for their beauty, ravenous appetite for insects, and charming, chatty, song. Native Americans loved them so much they put out hollow gourds to attract them to nest around their villages. Now, Purple Martins need the communal houses and gourds we put out for them as […]

Join The 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count!

Watching birds and reporting what you see during the annual Great Backyard Bird Count is a great reason to get outside in winter! Each February, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society ask people to spend at least 15 minutes over a 4-day period to watch birds and report every bird they see. […]

Fall Cleanup for a Healthy and Bird-friendly Yard

How about a relaxing cleanup this fall?  Instead of raking up all those leaves and trimming off berries and old flowers during your fall clean-up, do yourself, birds, bees, and butterflies a big favor by doing less. With significant amounts of native habitat loss, our backyards and gardens have become essential habitats supporting all kinds […]

State of the Worlds Birds

  Birdlife International recently released its updated report on the State of the Worlds Birds. Why is this important to know? Birds inhabit nearly every corner of the globe and are widely studied. They also are our early warning system. When there are environmental problems, birds let us know the effects early on. And for many decades, birds have been […]

Homegrown National Park

  What can I do to make a difference in the face of climate change and environmental losses? If you’ve ever asked that question, you are already searching for solutions. There are many things we can do, but how about doing something which provides beauty and added value to your property while having a material […]

Safety First! Attracting Owls to Your Backyard

  Who doesn’t love owls? Not only are they wonderful to see, but they also control the rodent population. And many owl species, like this Barred Owl, will use nest boxes. But they can be easily put in harm’s way if their welfare isn’t considered. This is the time of year to be getting nestboxes for owls out, […]

Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

  No matter where you are February 18-21, you can help birds by joining tens of thousands of birders from around the globe who are counting, and reporting birds during that time period to eBird for the Great Backyard Bird Count. The info reported helps scientists keep track of bird population numbers and locations. Just by doing […]

Want More Birds? Let Them Control Insects

  To keep your garden and yard safe for birds and provide the food they need, don’t use pesticides! A healthy garden is an ecosystem that is host to a lot of different insects from butterflies and caterpillars to spiders, aphids, and even mosquitos. All these insects are food that birds need and they make […]

Sign Up For the Christmas Bird Count!

Don’t miss being part of the 122nd Christmas Bird Count starting December 14! One hundred twenty-two years ago, Frank Chapman and 26 other conservationists decided that instead of an annual Christmas bird hunt, it was time to start counting birds. Now the conservation tradition has grown into a bird count across North America and in […]

Is Your Home Bird-Safe?

  Every year, in North America alone, up to 1 billion birds are killed by flying into glass windows – both year-round resident birds, as well as those on migration, are affected. This is a huge number of birds that are being unnecessarily killed, as there are many ways to avoid these collisions. Our homes, […]

Getting Your Garden Ready For Winter

  It’s fall – what should you be doing with your garden? If you want your native plants and shrubs to thrive next spring and your garden to be a wildlife haven all winter, here are a few things to do now: 1 – Don’t clean up your yard! Clipping back the underbrush removes valuable hiding habitat […]

Help Birds on Migratory Bird Day

Want to help birds and have fun at the same time? Migratory Bird Day is October 9 – it’s also a Big Day – when birdwatchers around the globe go birdwatching and submit their sightings on eBird. This gives the folks at Cornell Lab of Ornithology a snapshot of what birds are where around the world. It […]

The Case For Hummingbird Feeders

Everybody loves to watch hummingbirds at the feeder. But once their migration is underway, is it fair to keep the feeders up for them? Will they not migrate if there is easy food around?   The primary food sources for hummingbirds are insects and flower nectar, and nothing really replaces those. But, hummingbirds require a lot […]

BirdNote: Song Sparrows In Your Brush Pile

For me, it’s officially spring when Song Sparrows start singing! Song Sparrows are found throughout the United States and into Southern Canada. To bring them into your garden, plant thick, low vegetation, or create a brush pile. This sparrow is celebrated – and named – for its singing. Without its melodious song, this furtive bird could be […]

A Hummer Of a Backyard

One of the more spectacular of our migratory birds in the Americas, hummingbirds are found exclusively in the New World, making this a truly American bird. While most of the over 300 species of hummingbirds are found in Central and South America, around a dozen species of these tiny gems searching for food and shelter grace […]

Invite Tree Swallows to Nest in Your Yard

Tree Swallows are stunning iridescent-blue, fast-flying insectivores with bright white underparts. They are a delight to have around with their happy liquid calls resonating as they fly, and it’s a joy to watch them whisk through the air hawking for insects. In fall they migrate in enormous flocks numbering in the thousands. Even with gatherings like these, […]

What We’re Reading Now: The Bird Friendly City

Our cities and backyards need to be transformed to integrate nature and not be detrimental to it. Tim Beatley is a professor of architecture and an urban planner, who firmly believes that urban (and even suburban) areas, when designed correctly can restore habitat and have a positive effect on birds and nature in general. His […]

Backyard Birds: A Home for Phoebe

Eastern Phoebes are welcome guests in any location. These dark brown and white flycatchers are great to have around for insect control and their “phee-bee” call is often an early harbinger of spring. From Maine through Kentucky, this active bird is in decline, so providing a nesting box would be a helpful addition to your backyard. Their nesting […]

How Many Birds Can You Find?

Give it your all February 12-15 in the Great Backyard Bird Count! Run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this annual bird count is a really fun way to help birds as birdwatchers around the world record all the birds they have seen on these 4 days into their eBird accounts so Cornell has a snapshot of bird […]

Make Your Own Vegetarian Suet

  In cold weather, nothing gets most birds’ attention like suet! They need the calories and fat to keep their body temperature up when the insects they would be eating in warmer weather aren’t around. A good substitute in cold weather is yummy fatty suet. Making suet the old-fashioned way can be a greasy, messy […]

Make the ID: Red-breasted vs White-breasted Nuthatch

There are four species of Nuthatches in North America, but the two most widespread species are Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches. These compact little steel-blue birds, often found hanging in some acrobatic fashion around feeders, other times, lifting up bark to insert a seed and then hammering it open to “hatch” the seed, are great to […]

A Story About Native Grasslands and Nesting Birds

Enlarge your understanding of birds with BirdNote’s new series – Threatened. Enjoy longer, in-depth stories about birds and explore what happens when humans dramatically alter the landscape — and why some birds can hack it in the new norm, while others struggle. In this episode, we’re traveling to Idaho, where native grasslands were once a diverse […]

Make the ID: Coopers vs Sharp-shinned Hawk

Whether lurking around and storming feeders or streaking through the trees after a bird, these fairly common raptors are both beautiful and aggressively resist identification. Determining if you are looking at a Coopers or Sharp-shinned Hawk can be really confusing. If this happens to you, don’t worry as even experts aren’t always on the mark. […]

Make the ID: Downy vs Hairy Woodpecker

Two woodpeckers who look very much alike are busy inspecting tree bark around North America looking for food. Both look natty in their checkered plumage, but how to tell them apart? Beak Size: The most pronounced field mark is beak size. Downys have small beaks – almost unnaturally so, and Hairys have much larger thorn-like beaks. Size: Hairys […]

Keeping Birds Safe From Glass

Every year, in North America alone nearly 1 billion birds needlessly lose their lives by flying into windows they cannot see. During migration, the incidences increase as fast-moving birds intent on reaching their destination will see on the glass panes the reflections of the trees behind them. In an attempt to either fly through to reach […]

Draw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird with David Sibley

You don’t need to go outside to get to know birds: Try drawing them instead. David Sibley, the ornithologist who wrote and illustrated The Sibley Guide to Birds, created a video for Audubon  that shows how to sketch a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Get out a piece of paper and a pencil or crayon and try it yourself!       Check out […]

Why Are Birds So Quiet Now?

For months now, early every morning the songs and calls would Molting Northern Cardinal Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel start – sometimes before dawn – and the raucous, beautiful and energetic bird sounds from birds like Carolina Wrens and this Northern Cardinal continued filling the soundscape until sundown.  Then one day….suddenly the yard was oddly quiet.  While some juvenile birds were still […]

3 Billion Birds Gone – What Can I Do To Help?

If you are asking this question after reading about the study showing 3 billion birds are gone since 1970,  you White-throated Sparrow Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel are not alone as the enormity of the numbers of birds lost is difficult to comprehend.  Some of the hardest hit birds are ones we see most often  – White-throated Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Eastern and Western […]

Helping Birds: Create Habitat For Them

Mature Native Plant Meadows in a Small Yard Having safe and undisturbed habitat is critical to keeping our birds and planet healthy.  Research published last year by Cornell Lab of Ornithology showing 3 Billion Birds have been lost and the enormous impact this has had on bird populations over the past few decades cited habitat loss as the […]

What We’re Watching and Reading Now

Don’t miss the chance to hear two acclaimed authors  – David Sibley and Jennifer Ackerman – speak about birds in a very personal way.  Both authors have new books and they explore, in complementary fashion, different aspects of birds and bird behavior that are absolutely fascinating. David Sibley is the well-known author and artist for the Sibley […]

City Birds You May Not Know Are Around You

Common Yellow-throat Illustration by David Sibley When cities are quiet, we can easily hear the birds around us.  This illuminating article from the New York Times helps us learn about 13 birds we live in close proximity with but may never have seen.  With stunning images by David Sibley and informational sonograms of bird calls from Donald Kroodsma, this article […]

Helping Birds: I Found a Baby Bird on the Ground!

Every year as hatching and fledging season gears up, we find baby birds in spots they don’t seem to belong, i.e. out of their nest. And they seem to look either helpless or lost – what can we do? Rescued House Finch Nestling Photo Credit:  Deborah Rivel The answer to this question is based on […]

Stuff To Do With Kids: Make a Nesting Shelter for Robins

Stuff To Do With Kids: Make a Nesting Shelter for Robins American Robin on Nest Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel American Robins are wonderful birds to have in your yard. I can’t recall a time I didn’t have robins around, and even in the city where I live, there are robins in the garden behind my […]

Helping Birds: Plant Native Trees

Baltimore Oriole Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel What better way to be outside, productive, socially distanced and helping birds than gardening!  Spring is here whether or not we are sheltering inside, and now is a great opportunity to make progress on your native plant garden. Being in nature benefits all of us, and  when we are limited in what […]

Birdwatching During the Corona Virus

Birdwatching Solo Photo Credit: John Chao If you’re sheltering at home, or at the very least practicing social distancing – and especially if you live in an urban environment – getting outside to see spring migration may seem like a challenge at best. Migration is starting, and is it safe or even wise to go birding? It’s critical […]

BOOK REVIEW: Birdsong For The Curious Naturalist: Your Guide to Listening, by Donald Kroodsma

Released just as spring migration is starting, this timely book bringsunderstanding and learning birdsong to a new level. Don Kroodsma is a world-renown authority on birdsong. And apart from understanding it he knows the positive effect of an immersive nature experience. Birdsong For the Curious Naturalist opens with the line “birdsong fills our lives with beauty and […]

Do the Great Backyard Bird Count

Barred Owl Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Get those binos out, invite your friends,and block 15 minutes of time during at least one day from February 14-17 – its time to participate in this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count!  Join over 160,000 other people around the world taking the time to look for birds and report their findings to […]

Helping Birds: What To Do After a Fire

Helping Birds:  What To Do After a Fire Kookaburra After Fire Photo Credit: Adam Stevenson/Reuters The dramatic images in the news of rampant bushfires in Australia are heartbreaking.  Firefighters from Australia and around the world are working overtime to quench the flames in an attempt to save peoples homes and lives, and caringly rescue injured wildlife […]

Nature Books To Give and Receive

Nature Books To Give and Receive Gift yourself, family or friends some books about birds and nature.  Below are several titles we really enjoyed and think you might like to include on your gift list: Winter World: The Ingenuity of Animal Survival – Award-winning author and biologist, Bernd Heinrich offers detailed insights into how birds and other wildlife […]

How Birds Survive the Winter

  Hairy Woodpecker Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila It’s cold and windy outside, a heated birdbath offers relief to dehydrated birds, and the ever-growing brush pile I started a few years ago is getting a lot of use by birds darting inside to huddle and find respite. I am delighted that the little native plant meadow I planted four years […]

Making a Nesting Site for Great Horned Owls

Great Horned Owlets Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila One of the best ways to control rodentsis the old fashioned and completely non-toxic way – reliance on the hunting skills of owls. Some owls, like Great Horned Owls, are especially effective at this during nesting season and are often found in orchards or on farm woodlots. They will nest out in the open, […]

How Choosing the Right Coffee Can Help Birds

Bananaquit Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel The choice we make for our morning coffee can have a good or adverse affect on birds. Many of the birds we see during nesting season – like warblers, tanagers and other songbirds – have now made their way south to overwinter in Latin America. There the availability of food and safe habitat in their overwintering […]

Fall Garden Cleanup….Or Not?

Song Sparrow in native plant meadow Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Putting your garden to bed for the winter can mean clipping, raking and maybe throwing things out. But if you want to maintain your property for birds and wildlife, think first before you do any of these things, as birds and wildlife depend on what […]

3 Billion Birds Gone – What Can I Do To Help?

If you are asking this question after reading about the study showing 3 billions birds are gone since 1970,  you White-throated Sparrow Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel are not alone as the enormity of the numbers of birds lost is difficult to comprehend.  Some of the hardest hit birds are ones we see most often  – White-throated Sparrows, Red-winged […]

In The News: 3 Billion Birds Lost

Last week, a group of conservation organizations led by Cornell Lab of Red-winged Blackbird Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Ornithology released a stunning report of a detailed study which shows a loss of 3 billion birds in North America in 50 years.  It’s a staggering amount of birds – a net loss of 29% of the breeding […]

Don’t Forget the Water!

Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Fresh water for birds is important year round, and as the summer heats up, water is a priority. When temperatures soar, birds need fresh water to avoid dehydration, keep cool and bathe to keep their feathers in good shape.  Fortunately, there are many different ways you can provide fresh water whether you have a […]

The Climate and Bird Friendly Garden Makeover

Our gardens and backyards have more impact than we realize. Monarch Butterflies on Native Plants Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel We expect them to provide beauty for us, and native plant gardens offer mini-habitats for birds, bees and other wildlife.  Well planned gardens and backyards can make a difference in the populations of butterflies, nesting and […]

Uh Oh, I Found a Baby Bird – What Do I Do?

Northern Cardinal Fledgling Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Nesting season’s most asked question is: “I found a baby bird on the ground – what do I do? ” Well, that’s not entirely scientific, but the question gets asked a lot right now! We expect to see baby birds in the nest being fed and cared for, but what […]

Special Nest Boxes for Tree Swallows and Bluebirds

Tree Swallow Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Both species of beautiful blue birds rely on hard-to-find cavities or nest boxes to raise their families.  And right now the race is on for available nesting spots. Tree Swallow populations are in decline in part because they need cavities or special boxes for safe nesting. Hear more about the […]

Make Your Backyard a Hummingbird Haven

Rufous-TailedHummingbird Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel All species of hummingbirds are found in the New World, making this a truly American bird.  While most hummingbirds are found in Central and South America, some species of these tiny gems searching for food and shelter grace many a North American garden.  If you are in an area where hummingbirds […]

Backyard Nest Boxes – Time to Get Started!

  It’s not too early to prepare for the nesting birds you want to attract to your yard during nesting season.  If you are interested in a DIY project, here’s one which helps  Northern Flickers.   Northern Flicker Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Flickers are considered common birds, but are suffering a steep decline in population due to loss of habitat as dead trees […]

Jays Just Doin’ Their Thing

California Scrub Jay Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel That mischievous Scrub or Blue Jay in your yard or neighborhood is not just a very attractive trouble-maker, but he or she is also an ecosystem engineer. Jays of all sorts around the world love to hide or “cache” seedsaround their territory  – a behavior known as “scatter-hoarding.” The idea is that when […]

Berry-Important Bushes for Backyard Birds

Gray Catbird Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel It’s time to plan your spring gardening.  Whether you are just starting a native plant garden or already have native plants in your yard, we have some ideas that can make your garden a bird magnet year round by providing food and shelter regardless of the season.  Diversity is critical to providing the […]

 Kestrels in My Backyard

 Kestrels in My Backyard American Kestrel, Cuba Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Nothing beats having a colorful Kestrel nesting in your yard.  The smallest of the North American falcons, they are found throughout North America in open areas and grasslands, and adapt well to suburban areas.   Kestrels eat insects as well as small birds and […]

Your Bird and Wildlife-Safe Backyard: Non-toxic Weed Killers

  Monarch Butterflies Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel     What’s good for birds is good for people. And this applies also to the products we use in our gardens. Keeping your garden safe for birds and other wildlife will also keep you and your neighbors safe from toxic chemicals which can enter the water system […]