The mysteries of bird migration may never be completely unraveled. But with new technology, information about birds’ activities — where they nest, overwinter and make stops along the way — are becoming more clear. This is critical information for biologists for the conservation of species. But now it is possible for all of us to see an interactive […]
Our Nestcam list is really growing! We have an adorable fluffy Bermuda Petrel chick hatched March 10. Great viewing at night. And a growing but still fluffy Albatross chick you won’t want to miss seeing. Bald Eagles and Peregrines are beginning to nest. Lots and lots of activity! Northern Royal Albatross – New Zealand […]
Flaco, an enormous Eurasian Eagle-owl is New York City’s latest celebrity. In February, vandals cut open Flaco’s cage at the Central Park Zoo. He escaped, but having never lived in the wild, there was concern that he wouldn’t know how to hunt and feed himself since he had been fed by humans his entire life. Despite […]
Our Nestcam list is growing! There’s a fluffy little Albatross chick you won’t want to miss seeing and the Petrels have one egg. Bald Eagles and Peregrines are beginning to nest. Lots of activity! Northern Royal Albatross – New Zealand – There’s a gorgeous, fluffy chick in this nest now! Check out the live […]
Most owls hunt during the quiet and cover of night, and their specialized senses and bodies make it possible for them to locate prey in darkness. They also have the ability to fly silently making it possible to ambush their prey by flying very close to their target to determine exactly where it is, completely […]
You’re at a hawk watch and the birds overhead have found the thermals, circling higher and lower – occasionally flapping. They dont look anything like the pictures in your field guide that shows them perched close up. In fact, sometimes it’s even difficult to get any field mark other than a silhouette as they […]
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, […]
There are lots of chicks in nests and eggs that are about to hatch! Plus some great relaxing cams to watch birds on migration. Or visit a feeder station in the tropics. Take your pick! NEW!Peregrine Falcons, Baltimore, Maryland – four eggs being incubated by Barb3 and Boh2 West End Bald Eagle Cam, California […]
In winter, Snowy Owls often travel far south of their Arctic tundra homes and can be found in the oddest places. This year, there were a few very public appearances of Snowy Owls – including in NYC’s Central Park and at Union Station in Washington DC. Both appearances made national headlines as residents and visitors alike […]
Lots to watch during the winter! From Northern Royal Albatross in New Zealand to Bald Eagles in California. Plus there are several links to watch migrating birds and our favorite neo-tropical feeder in Panama to get your fix of birds in a warmer climate. There’s always something going on! West End Bald Eagle Cam, California – Two eggs […]
Lots to watch during the winter! From teeny baby Allen’s Hummingbird chicks in California to Northern Royal Albatross in New Zealand. Plus there are several links to watch migrating birds and our favorite neo-tropical feeder in Panama to get your fix of birds in a warmer climate. There’s always something fun to watch! NEW! Allen’s Hummingbird […]
There’s been a lot of excitement about a Steller’s Sea Eagle that’s been roving around the US. This enormous eagle – which is larger than our Bald Eagle – is a native of the Russia Far East, Japan, and Korea. First seen in North America last year in Alaska and Saskatchewan, then Texas, now the bird is […]
Owls seem to be able to turn their heads almost all the way around! That sounds a little improbable, but it is true that they have the ability to swivel their head nearly all the way around. The thing is they have eyes that are fixed in their sockets so head rotation is the […]
Owls are unusual and secretive birds. Most are active at night, so finding an owl is always an exciting event – and often requires some patience and skill. The best ways to find an owl are to go outside and wait to hear their calls at night then follow the calls; or during the day […]
Owls seem to be able to turn their heads almost all the way around! That sounds a little improbable, but it is true that they have the ability to swivel their head nearly all the way around. The thing is they have eyes that are fixed in their sockets so head rotation is the […]
In the Southern Hemisphere it’s nesting season and there are some great cams to watch! Plus check out what’s happening with Condors and some of our other favorite cams. NEW! Peregrines in Orange, NSW, Australia – with a very fluffy chick! NEW! Another Peregrine Falcon family, this one in the middle of the city […]
California Condor chick #1111 could be called an over-achiever. The offspring of the same birds who had the 1000th Condor chick, this 4.5-month-old young bird took flight about 6 weeks before most of his cousins will. His parents in Zion National Park have been together 4 years, and #1111 is their 4th chick. They will care […]
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 […]
Seriously cute chicks are here and eaglets are growing up! Don’t miss staying in touch with these families and watching them grow! Barred Owls: Two really fluffy chicks to go gaga over! Peregrine Falcon – Barb and Boh have 2 eyasses! Decorah Eagles – DNR and Mr. North have 2 chicks who are growing up […]
There are so many active nests to choose from! We just started following this family of Barred Owls: Two eggs were laid in early March! Check out the rest of these nestcams – Eagles, Petrels, Red-tailed Hawks, Ospreys, Albatross and more!: Decorah Eagles – DNR and Mr. North have 2 adorable chicks! Bith hatched later […]
Nesting season is in full swing! There are so many nestcams, it’s hard to choose. Bald Eagles DNR and Mr. North, a fluffy Northern Royal Albatross chick, our favorite California Condors, Bermuda Petrels, The Savannah Ospreys, roosting Long-eared Owls …and much more! Decorah Eagles – Pictured above -DNR and Mr. North have 2 eggs! First was […]
You may recall last year we wrote an article on the dramatic story of Redwood Queen, her long-time mate Kingpin and her chick Iniko whose lives were devastated by the Dolan Fires last August. Iniko’s nest tree was surrounded by flames, but he survived. His father, Kingpin did not. His mother, Redwood Queen, came back […]
Owls are normally associated with the deep woods and remote areas, and indeed this is a logical spot to find them. But owls will find smaller parks in urban or suburban areas that work for them. This year, New York City hosted a Snowy Owl for the first time in 130 years. This was a historical visit by […]
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 […]
Owls, in general, are mysterious and beautiful birds, but no one owl species attracts quite as much fascination as Snowy Owls. Known for the male’s stunning pure white plumage, these gorgeous owls are normally found in the far north where they nest on the ground on treeless tundra. Despite their occasional appearance in the lower 48 […]
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. […]
Iniko is the name of a 6 month old condor chick in Big Sur, California. His name means “Born in Troubled Times”, and his story has been a dramatic one. Born April 25, 2020 to Condors “Kingpin” #167 and “Redwood Queen” #190, he was lovingly cared for by both parents who shared the duties of feeding […]
California Condor Chick – courtesy Ventana Wildlilfe Society This has been a busy month — some birds we have been following have fledged, others are still in the nest about to burst out on their own. NEW this month is a great view of a California Condor nest in Big Sur, which is home to an active and fluffy chick […]
Great Horned Owl and owlets – courtesy Owl Research Institute Bird around the globe from home with nestcams! In North America, you can see nests we have been following and some new ones with owls, eagles, peregrines and ospreys. Visit New Zealandwhere you can continue to follow the now very large Northern Royal Albatross chick. Then zip over to Bermuda, to […]
Fluffy Bermuda Petrel chick, courtesy Cornell Lab It’s the season for nestcams! What can you see now? Travel the globe to see eagles, owls, hummingbirds, peregrines! Plus get updates on albatross and petrel nests (including this Bermuda Petrel pictured here) we have been following. All just waiting for you to click their cam link! […]
For most birds in the US, going south for the winter typically means at least crossing the Mason-Dixon Snowy Owl Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila Line. But for Snowy Owls, as long as there is enough food, a winterly southern migration often sees them staying mostly north of the US/Canadian border with forays into the northern US and New England. […]
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, […]
Pied Kingfisher, Eilat, Israel Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel If you find it difficult to tear yourself away from spring migrationwhere you live, you are not alone. But experiencing migration in another part of the world can be an amazing experience. If you are serious about birding, Israel is one of those places that should not be missed. […]
Fraser Point Bald Eagle nestcam/explore.org There is a lot to see right now — owls setting up to nest, baby hummingbirds being fed, beautiful birds at the feeder in Panama and more… Enjoy them all! Fraser Point Bald Eagles in Santa Cruz have 2 eggs – hatch watch starts March 16. Rufous-tailed Hummingbird cam in California with a chick and another egg! (see […]
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 […]
Black-tailed Godwit/Photo Credit: BirdLife Sweden For our year end issue we wanted to highlight some bird conservation success stories. Sometimes the challenges to birds and conservation can loom large. It’s not always good news. But there are numerous successes and new positive findings about birds which give us hope that the work we do on behalf of […]
Snowy Owls – those spectacularly beautiful all white owls – are being seen again this winter in the US. Project Snowstorm is once Snowy Owl/ Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila more tracking dozens of owlsthis year across the US to obtain more data and information on the behavior, movements and lifestyles of these mysterious and beautiful birds. The Project Snowstorm site has lots of info […]
Northern Saw Whet Owl/Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila The smallest owl in North America is the tiny Northern Saw Whet Owl. A ferocious predator of mice and other small rodents, they are great birds to have around to help keep the mouse population under control. If you live in a forested area, you might consider putting up a nest box now […]
Red-tailed Hawk Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Fall raptor migration is amazing! For the serious hawk watcher, it is the time to get really spectacular flight photos and see raptors en route in often high numbers. If you are new to hawk watching and want to plan a trip or a day outing, keep an eye on […]
How Many Birds Are on Fall Migration? Do you ever wonder how many birds are on the move during fall Tree Swallows Migrating Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel migration? We did and found Cornell Lab of Ornithology answered this question in their first report on numbers of birds migrating over the US from data gleaned from radar […]
Peregrine Falcon Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Most of the best hawk-watching sites in North America are fairly well known – Cape May NJ, Hawk Ridge in Duluth, Hawk Mountain PA and River of Raptors in Veracruz, for example. But if you are a photographer wanting excellent shots […]
Songbirds are mostly finished nesting, Guillemot Chick Screenshot: explore.org and their chicks are gaining strength to make their first migration south. But there are still some adorable nestlings and juvenile birds waiting to make their first flight. Don’t miss these seabirds and Osprey before they leave the nest! Puffin burrow with a fluffy puffling and a Guillemot chick in […]
Migration Explained Twice each year, more than 5000 species of birds migrate. Peregrine Falcon Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel This represents about half the world’s species of birds (not including subspecies). Migration is something billions of birds undertake worldwide, and their journey takes them through and over all types of habitats, altitudes and terrains including some inhospitable […]
Nestcams! Wow – look who’s hatched! There are lots of chicks to see now – don’t miss the new addition peeking out from under mom in this Bald Eagle nest! Decorah Bald Eagle Cam, Explore.org Barred Owls in Indiana have three chicks! Thirty-three floors over Baltimore Peregrine Falcons have four eggs. Hatching watch starts […]
Project Snowstorm – Snowy Owls in Motion Snowy Owl Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila Snowy Owls are true denizens of the far north, and are only occasionally found south of the Canadian border — even in winter. These beautiful pure white owls are widely admired for their beauty, but not well understood. Project Snowstorm is changing […]
Owl ID: Owling By Sound Owls are primarily nocturnal creatures, so your best chance of seeing them is going to be at night when they are most active. You may get quiet flyovers as they check you out, which are especially exciting when there is a bright moonlit sky, and you may sometimes find them […]
ID Migrating Hawks 101 One of the best things about watching hawks is the opportunity to learn to ID them at your own pace. Unlike songbird migration, or just watching songbirds for that matter, when you watch hawks migrating, you often have a much longer view of the birds and the opportunity in some […]
Where to Watch Migrating Hawks Hawks are migrating and there are lots of places to see them! Below is a short selection of locations in the US and one in Canada which are easily accessible and are great places to see raptors migrate. All these hawk watches have people who count the species and numbers […]
Eagle ID Tips Making the ID between a Bald Eagle and a Golden Eagle is simple, right? After all, don’t Bald Eagles have a white Adult Golden Eagle head? And don’t Golden Eagles only live in the western US? Well, yes and no. If you use just these two parameters in your ID, you will likely […]
Owl ID Tips Owls are such mysterious birds. They are most active at night and are difficult to find unless you are listening. Here are tips for ID’ing three owls that are fairly common in their territories in North America – Great Horned, Barred and Saw-whet Owl. When most of us think of the sound […]
What’s Cool About Raptors Birds of prey, or “raptors” are a group of birds including hawks, eagles, vultures, falcons, and owls. They share two key characteristics: all have hooked beaks for tearing flesh, and sharp talons for grasping prey. These birds are an important part of maintaining a healthy ecosystem by feeding on insects, rodents, […]
Barn Owls are fairly common residents in most of North America, but they are a species in decline and could use some help. They frequently nest or roost in abandoned barns or buildings. They also have a long history of rodent control on farms and ranches, and many farmers know the benefits of attracting a […]
Flash! A small Accipiter is flying through! Is it a Coopers Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk or a Cooper’s Hawk? This is one of the hardest ID’s to make. Most novice birders will simply write it off a “Shooper”, not really sure which one it is. But here are some tips that can help you make the […]
The cold days of winter have moved in with a vengeance this year. Winter can be a brutal time to spend outside looking for birds, but if you know where to go and what to look for, it can be an enjoyable adventure! Waterfowl are in abundance across much of North America in winter. They are […]
Great gray owl Most owls don’t migrate like songbirds. But during some winters, owls are forced south of their range, looking for food. When they go en masse to more southerly places, this is called an “irruption”. It’s not really migration as it isn’t an annual event. But for owls, who tend to not move […]
Most owls are nocturnal, actively hunting under the cover of darkness. For a cool (in all sense of the word!) thing to do, take a trip outside at night to find owls. Finding a silently moving bird in the dark can be a challenge, but it can be a lot of fun! The best way […]
Each year tens of thousands of hawks, eagles, falcons and vultures leave their breeding grounds and head south along ridges and coastlines. Fall hawk migration is a really big draw for anyone who likes hawks, as they are really easy to see and there are a lot of them. Hawks like to follow […]
After spending their winters apart in different places – sometimes thousands of miles from where they breed, hawks, falcons and eagles are returning to the areas where they mate and nest. Not all hawks migrate, but the ones that do return to the same spot, and sometimes the exact same nest, often to meet up […]
Owls are visual hunters who take advantage of the different perceptions at night to confuse their prey. While some owls eat insects and birds, the most popular item on the menu is rodents. And to trick the rodents, owls rely on a time tested recipe for success. The first ingredient in the owl’s hunting […]
Owls are really cool but they are also really hard to see. There are two main reasons why that is – most owls are nocturnal (meaning they sleep during the day and are active at night), and because they need to be safe while they are sleeping in the daylight, they blend in well with […]