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 […]
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 […]
The Year of the Bird in April – Birds Need Your Help 2018 is the Year of the Bird, and in April, birds really need your help! The Year of the Bird celebrates the 100th anniversary of signing into law the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which has protected billions of birds on migration – from Peregrine Falcons to Magnolia Warblers, […]
Make the ID: Cape May vs Palm Warbler Cape May Warbler Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila The joy of seeing warblers during spring migration is always a highlight of any outing. But some species can seem similar – especially when the view is fleeting. Cape May and Palm Warblers can be confused, and here are […]
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 […]
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 […]
Why Do Birds Flock in Fall? At the end of the summer, you may start to see large flocks of birds. Swallows, blackbirds, cowbirds, sparrows amass — sometimes in large flocks that seem to come out of nowhere and then just as mysteriously, disappear. But why is this? And why don’t we see it at […]
Making That First Migration Young birds are leaving the nest, and many of them are getting ready for their first trip south. Migration is a hard and risky business for any bird, but the first marathon voyage for many species of birds takes place shortly after they have fledged. How do they do it? Songbirds […]
FAMILY FUN: Backyard Birds Need More Than Seed! Spring migration is underway! It’s time to prepare your backyard to welcome the spring migrants. Bird seed is great for winter birds, and many migrating birds will appreciate it, but there are other things you can do in your backyard to welcome the new birds. A beautiful […]
Fallout! Migration is a tough time for birds. Some studies have shown that it is the hardest part of the yearly life cycle for migrants, causing the most mortality. Neotropical migrating birds winter in Central and South America, then migrate to North America for the breeding season. Migration continues throughout the spring season, but if you […]
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 […]
Hey wait a minute! Doesn’t migration take place in spring and fall? Well, yes…and no. Migration actually takes place year round as there are birds on the move to and from their breeding grounds at all times of year. Just like all birds don’t nest at the same time, not all birds migrate at the […]
Red knot There are not too many superlatives to describe birds that make long migrations. The more you learn about what they do, the more impossible it seems. All birds face challenges during migration, and many birds routinely risk their lives to get to their ideal breeding destination or to make the trip south […]
Think only humans use highways? Not so! Animals also have paths on land, in the ocean and in the air that they follow year after year. Not unlike our daily commutes, during migration birds use known routes. In North America, for example, there are 4 main migratory superhighways generally followed by birds: Atlantic, Mississippi, Central […]
Migrating birds face many diverse challenges. Their success is dependent on a number of unknowns over which they have no control –the most important of which are availability of food and safe habitat. When they need a much needed rest from strenuous flying, you can provide an attractive and safe haven by doing just a […]
Spring Warbler migration is primarily April and May. These small, beautiful, often yellow, birds are insectivores – Orange-crowned warbler they eat insects — so don’t check your bird feeders for them. To see warblers you should bring along binoculars. You also need to go where the food is and be there when they are feeding. […]