The 5 Golden Rings? They Might be Pheasants
Much has been made of the impractical nature of the gifts given in the popular “12 Days of Christmas” carol. There’s an annual accounting of how much it would cost…
Extreme Birding: Shorebirds at the Sewage Lagoon
My eyes strain through the binoculars as the bird scurries through the mud flat. Before I departed this morning, I had studied the field guide and memorized the field marks.…
Saltmarsh Sparrow: The “Canary” of Sea-Level Rise
The saltmarsh sparrow is a small puff of a bird that is uniquely adapted to living (and nesting) within a habitat that floods regularly. Endemic to the east coast of…
Running the Numbers on Global Seabird Restoration
A new database of global seabird restoration projects allows scientists to analyze trends and provides a tool for practitioners looking to effectively restore seabirds and coastal ecosystems. The Gist Led…
Did You Know Sandhill Cranes Dye Their Feathers?
Sandhill cranes are spectacular birds, whether it’s a pair displaying in a field or hundreds of thousands outside a viewing blind in Nebraska. The cranes are undeniably crowd pleasers: big…
Atolls are Globally Important for Seabirds
New science from Indo-Pacific atolls, including TNC’s Palmyra Preserve, reveals that global conservation efforts largely overlook the important contributions of atolls to the protection, restoration potential, and long-term survival of…
Tracking Down the American Woodcock
Nearly all migratory birds migrate first, then nest once they arrive where they’re going. To do otherwise would be counter-intuitive, a process requiring a tremendous amount of energy all at…
Swift Parrots and the Heartbreak of Rare Species
I saw the reports on the Brisbane birding Facebook group on Monday morning. A handful of endangered swift parrots had turned up near Toowoomba, spotted by a keen-eyed birder in…
Earlier Springs Cause Problems for Birds
Think for a minute about the veery with its cinnamon wings, plump little body and seductive call. Each spring, as the earth begins tilting away from the sun in central…
Bird Alert: The Search for Local Rarities
There are those who get excited by warblers, and those who do not. Both were in evidence on a recent visit to the local city park. I could not tell…