BirdNote Daily

Titmice Lead the Way

In winter, many songbirds join flocks made up of multiple species that travel around looking for food, benefitting from safety in numbers. But a bird flock that doesn't m

Montezuma Oropendola – The Golden Pendulum

In a clearing where an ancient Mayan city once stood, the Montezuma Oropendola perches and sings. His courtship display is astonishing: he swings by his feet and sings, h

Birding 101: Don’t Get Discouraged by Lookalikes

If you’re a new birder and find yourself feeling confused by lookalike birds, don’t be too hard on yourself. Some bird species look almost identical, and some of the most

Goldeneyes and Whistling Wings

On a still winter afternoon, you may hear Common Goldeneyes flying low across the water. Whistlers, their wings sibilant, make the sound – as Ernest Hemingway wrote – of

Common Mergansers Pushed by the Ice

Around this time of year, Common Mergansers cross the U.S.-Canadian border on their way to wintering grounds in the Lower 48. But how do they know when to go? Ducks are w

The Western Sandpiper’s Winter Migration

Along the coast of Sinaloa in México, there are species of shorebirds with one of the longest migrations in the Western Hemisphere. One such species is the Western Sandpi

Bird Feeders and Whaling Ships

In the opening lines of Moby Dick, the narrator, Ishmael, confesses to "a damp, drizzly November in my soul." One sure way to brighten November's damp and drizzly mood is

Spark Bird: Drew Lanham Takes Flight

Acclaimed ornithologist and writer J. Drew Lanham’s obsession with birds began when he was a kid, when he wished to take flight alongside them. He tried out cardboard win

How to Help Birds that are Far Away

University of Puget Sound professor and BirdNote science advisor Peter Hodum studies seabird conservation. And he says that if you can’t do something to address a problem

Calling Ducks Like A Champ

Every November, duck callers flock to Stuttgart, Arkansas to compete in the annual World Championship Duck Calling Contest. Hunters traditionally use calls to lure in duc

Chorus Line in the Sky

A flock of small shorebirds, like Western Sandpipers, twists and turns, glittering in the sky. When threatened by a falcon, these birds take to the air, flying so close t

The Vampire Finch

Vampire Ground-Finches menace their victims in broad daylight, stabbing holes in their flesh, then devouring the blood. During the dry season, when their usual diet of se

Who’s That Spooky Bird?

Do you like to guess the bird calls before we identify them? Then here’s a short quiz of spooky, scary, and creepy bird sounds! This Halloween edition features three comm

Hovering with Horned Larks

Horned Larks rival meadowlarks as the most colorful birds of North American grasslands. They live in prairies, fields, and tundra, but agriculture and development now int

Who’s Afraid of Corvids?

Of all the birds out there, the corvid family — the crows, ravens, and jays — might have the spookiest reputation. But the idea that corvids are spooky is far from univer

Sunset Camp Raven

Writer and naturalist J. Drew Lanham tells the story of watching – and being watched by – a Common Raven. More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote?

The Whip-poor-will’s Whiskers

Near their frog-like mouths, Eastern Whip-poor-wills sport long, thin feathers that look a little like cat whiskers. Called rictal bristles, scientists are still investig

Great Horned Owls in the Neighborhood

Not all owls live in the deep woods. Many Great Horned Owls make their homes in urban areas. Though mostly nocturnal, Great Horned Owls are also active early in the morni

Seabirds Drink Salt Water

Seabirds have no problem drinking sea water. The salt they take in is absorbed and moves through their blood stream into a pair of salt glands above their eyes. The dense

Songbirds Teach Each Other Tricks

In the UK for years, milk came in bottles with foil caps. Great Tits, a common songbird, learned how to peck through the foil. The skill spread. But how? Researchers trai