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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Guillemot Chicks screenshot – courtesy Audubon/Explore By now, most raptor chicks have fledged. But now there are some other nests and burrows that are very active: In a manner befitting a Guillemot, both eggs hatched in the Guillemot burrow on International Guillemot Appreciation Day! Do not miss watching these two adorable, black, amazingly active and fluffy little chicks! […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
One of the best ways to get kids interested in birds is to get them working on a fun bird project. Photo Credit: Melpo Apostolidou, BirdLife Cyprus Our friends at BirdLife International have some great ideas that kids can do themselves. And they can reap the reward of learning about and doing something to help birds. From making […]
Purple Martins Coming Your Way Want to have Purple Martins in your backyard this year? If you are willing to commit to some early spring planning, you can find find the right house and install it after the Purple Martin “scouts” arrive in your area. The first ones to arrive at the nesting site are older birds hoping to […]
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 […]
If you live in or near a city, in the summertime at dusk, listen for a high pitched twittering sound overhead. This sound is Chimney swifts chasing down insects which they gobble up in midair. These “cigars with wings” have a distinct, torpedo-like body with long, thin, curved wings and are […]
Time to get ready for returning migrants! One of the earlier returning birds is also one of the friendliest and most social — the pretty and chatty Purple martin. Over one million North Americans put up houses each year for Martins, so if you haven’t tried attracting them to your yard, now is a perfect […]