Twice each year, about 4 billion birds in North America make what can only be described as a series of continuous ultramarathons — flying unbelievably taxing journeys north and south between the Americas, sometimes flying for days at a time over open water, without eating, sleeping, or touching down. Making these migratory journeys is so […]
Everything we learn about hummingbirds seems extreme. And here’s the latest news: Scientists at Cornell discovered that hummingbirds are able to exert fairly precise control over the energy they produce in the way of body heat during torpor- a state which is not sleeping and not hibernation, but a kind of brief overnight energy […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The spider’s web is an intricate piece of precision engineering. Made from large proteins, it’s sticky, stretchy, and tough. So it’s no surprise that many small birds – including this Anna’s Hummingbird – make a point of collecting strands of spider silk to use in nest construction. Spider silk not only acts as a glue, holding […]
Film: A Melodic Journey Through Northern Colombia Emerald Toucanet, Colombia Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Colombia is one of a handful of countries with an extraordinarily large and diverse group of bird species. In the film The Birders: A Melodic Journey Through Northern Colombia, you can spend an hour chasing some of these birds with biologist and bird […]
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! […]
Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Did you know that over 75% of all plants require pollination? And 30-40% of the food we eat is brought to us courtesy of pollinators? Bees, other insects, bats and birds provide this service for free. And it’s estimated the service they provide is worth over $200 billion. All pollinating […]
Chestnut-breasted Coronet Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Top components of a winter birding getaway are often a warmer climate and seeing new and endemic birds. I have made a number of trips to Ecuador, but I have made a number of trips to Ecuador, but one of the most interesting was when I visited several of […]
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 […]
Tiny Anna’s hummingbirds are living farther and farther north during winter. How do they manage this? First, available food from hummingbird feeders gives them the energy they need to help stave off the cold. And…there is a tried and true behavior that hummingbirds through the Americas resort to when it gets chilly – torpor. Find out more from our friends at BirdNote. Anna’s […]
Indigo Bunting Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Its important to be gardening with organic fertilizers and pesticides, and to keep chemicals out of your bird-friendly backyard. If you find this difficult to do, be aware that some pesticides contain neonicotinoids – a type of neuro active synthetic insecticide chemically similar to nicotine – which affects much […]
Setting Up For Hummingbirds Rufous -tailed Hummingbird Hummingbirds are on their way to you! In fact, they may already be in your area waiting for your backyard to be ready for them to nest and live in this summer. Sure you can put out a hummingbird feeder, but with a little planning and innovation, […]
Hummingbird feeders are a great project for birders of all ages. Seed feeders attract many different types of birds, from sparrows to cardinals and finches and more. But feeding hummingbirds requires a little more thought and is very rewarding, as once hummers find your feeder, they will be there consistently for you to see. […]