BirdNote Daily
Escape the daily grind and immerse yourself in the natural world. Rich in imagery, sound, and information, BirdNote inspires you to notice the world around you.
Episodes
Puffling Patrol
Just off the southern coast of Iceland, the Westman Islands are home to many of the country’s several million Atlantic Puffins. When puffin hatchlings, known as pufflings, get confused by the lights of the city, volunteers of all ages search for wayward pufflings on the street and bring them in for health checks. After the puffins get the green light, the volunteers release them along cliffs and b
Clair de Loon
August 22 is the birthday of renowned French composer, Claude Debussy. Born in 1862, Debussy is known for his impressionistic sonic portraits, like La Mer, about the sea. But one of his best known works is an earlier piano piece, Clair de Lune. The song is quiet and haunting. Which got us thinking: what if we paired it with the most haunting birdsong — the song of loons? Enjoy Clair de Loon.
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The Lark Bunting’s Eye-Catching Display
Lark Buntings are migratory sparrows that live in grasslands from south central Canada to the northern plateaus of Mexico. For most of the year, the buntings are brown, white and streaky. They spend the winter traveling in large, nomadic flocks in search of seeds and insects. But as spring approaches, the males become a velvety black with a contrasting patch of bright white feathers on each wing.
Why Birds Move Jay Inslee to Fight Climate Change
Former Washington Governor Jay Inslee made the fight against climate change a major priority during his three terms in office. In this episode, Inslee explains how his love of birds helped motivate those efforts.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Setting the Thermostat with Birds in Mind
If you’ve already done things around the home with birds in mind, consider one more action that might be less obvious. Turning the thermostat down a degree or two in the colder months and up a degree in the warmer months might seem more about personal preference or energy bills than birds. But climate change is a grave threat to birds, putting two-thirds of North American bird species at risk of e
My Grandmother’s Ornithology, and Mine
In this episode, poet and ornithologist J. Drew Lanham shares how his grandmother’s personal names for the birds helped shape his own relationships with birds. Names such as “redbirds” for Northern Cardinals, “rain crows” for Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and “cat owls” for Great Horned Owls help him feel personally connected to these species. Through developing one’s own ornithology and personal names f
Whose Nest is This Anyways?
Osprey are birds of prey with a wingspan more than 5 feet across. These large raptors construct huge stick nests that get up to 6 feet wide and 12 feet tall! While the Ospreys only occupy the upper portions of this structure, other birds have been observed taking up residence in the nooks and crannies below. This unexpected living arrangement is a classic example of protective nesting. Nesting bir
Bonaparte's Gull Chorus-line
Small, tern-like Bonaparte's Gulls often form a chorus-line at the water's edge. Side by side, in half an inch of water, they stomp their feet as fast as they can. Under this pummeling, a smorgasbord of shrimp is stirred up for the gulls to harvest. Is this a learned behavior, or were these gulls born knowing how to forage cooperatively? Who knows? But it's hard to imagine a more nutritional dance
Migrations: You're Going the Wrong Way!
During migration, some birds change orientation and travel almost the same distance — but in the opposite direction — as the rest of their species. The phenomenon is called misorientation. First-year birds are particularly susceptible. Many vagrant birds never find their way back on course, but some do, getting more comfortable with the route each year.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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How Birds Drink
How do birds drink? A robin takes a mouthful of water and then tips its head way back to send the water down its gullet. Pigeons are among the few birds that can suck in water with their heads down. Swallows and swifts skim a beakful of water on the wing. Gulls, like the Western Gull, can even drink salt water. If you have a birdbath, be sure to keep it clean. The birds' health is at stake.
More i
Black-throated Sparrow Sings in the Desert
Sparrows are iconic desert denizens of the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. They thrive in open arid habitats, with evenly spaced shrubs, trees, and cacti. Historically, these native ecosystems were naturally maintained with frequent, low-intensity fires. But decades of drought and fire suppression have set the stage for hotter, more destructive blazes. We can protect Black-throated Sparrows
Piper’s Sandpipers
In this special kids edition of BirdNote Daily, Piper Bayard shares her love of sandpipers.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Learning More About Birds by Sketching Them
Many people take an interest in birds as they get older. But others start very early, like one young BirdNote listener named Ben Bradmon. He has been learning how to identify birds by their calls. His favorite is the Tufted Titmouse. He has also begun deepening his knowledge of birds by sketching them, letting him focus on details of the birds’ appearance and their habitats.
More info and transcri
The Black-and-White Warbler
Black-and-white Warblers are tiny songbirds that breed in North America’s deciduous forests and winter as far south as Colombia. They feast on insects gleaned from leaves or plucked from cracks in tree bark. You’ll often find them clinging to tree trunks or the undersides of thick branches — acting more like a nuthatch than a warbler. Like many songbirds, Black-and-white Warblers migrate at night
Another BirdNote Quiz
Let's have some fun and test your bird ID skills! This quiz features:
an American Robin
an Olive-sided Flycatcher, (like the photo above)
a Red-tailed Hawk
a Steller's Jay, which you're most likely to hear west of the Rockies
and a Blue Jay, usually seen east of the Rockies.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Catios — The Best of Both Worlds
Cats love the outdoors, but they’re also one of the biggest threats to birds — killing as many as four billion a year in North America. Outdoor cats also live much shorter lives. Cynthia Chomos designed a cat patio or “catio” so that everyone can win. The enclosed outdoor space keeps both cats and birds safe. Learn more in season 1 of Bring Birds Back, available in your favorite podcast app!
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For Shorebirds, Summer Ends Early
We often think of birds migrating south in the fall. But many species kick off their big trips surprisingly early in the year. Shorebirds nesting in the Arctic tundra are an extreme example. Birds like the American Golden-Plover have a small window of time to build a nest, find a mate, and lay eggs in the short Arctic growing season. Golden-plovers actually leave their juvenile young behind to beg
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
A male Buff-breasted Sandpiper courts a female on their breeding grounds far north of the Arctic Circle. He raises his wings, flashing their silvery-white undersides, as he sings his clicking serenade. These birds spend much of the year on grasslands in Argentina, migrating to the Arctic in late spring. In the lower 48, September is a good time to look for this long-distance traveler. During migra
BirdNoir: That Crow Sounds Fishy
Every good investigator knows to stay vigilant for suspicious behavior. But not every unfamiliar bird is caw-se for alarm. In this episode of BirdNoir, Private Eye Michael Stein reveals that there’s more to a crow than meets the eye.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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An Amazing World of Owls
Owls are magnificent animals that share our cities with us, and live in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. They range in size from huge, like the Blakiston’s Fish-Owl of Eastern Asia, to the songbird-sized Elf Owl, weighing less than half a deck of cards. Owls play key roles in their ecosystems and even help control pests such as non-native rodents. By giving these amazing birds their
White-winged Doves and Saguaro Cactuses
White-winged Doves are common throughout Central America, the Caribbean, and North America’s Desert Southwest. Like the closely related Mourning Doves, they primarily eat seeds and grains. But in the Sonoran Desert, White-winged Doves time their migration to sync up with the Saguaros’ reproductive cycle – to the benefit of both species. The cacti provide doves with a crucial source of water in the
Singing Under Streetlights
Some birds have always called nocturnally, but other species are relative newcomers to the nighttime music scene, specifically in urban areas. Birds such as European Robins often sing well into the night. Scientists are studying what environmental cues might lead to this behavior. While artificial light could be a factor, recent studies suggest that some birds may be avoiding daytime city noise by
Australia's Rainforest Birds
The rainforests of Eastern and Northeastern Australia harbor many species of birds found almost nowhere else. This Eastern Whipbird — which is more often heard than seen — hangs out in the dense understory. Easier to lay eyes on is the large, pigeon-like Wompoo Fruit-Dove. Feathered in a stunning combination of green, purple, and yellow, this bird is clearly named for its voice. And a pig-like gru
Common Nighthawks at the Ballgame
An evening baseball game isn’t the only thing illuminated by the bright stadium lights. High in the air, countless flying insects are drawn to them. And those insects are a perfect snack for the game’s avian attendees! Common Nighthawks swoop with their wide mouths open to hoover up the flying insects under the lights, performing aerial stunts over the athletes on the ground.
This episode is spons
Cormorants Dive During the Day
At midday, it might seem like the birds that were so active in the morning have gone silent, maybe even vanished. But cormorants rally in the afternoon, offering a second chance to see and hear them. During the breeding season, Double-crested Cormorants have two peaks of fishing activity: the first around 9 a.m., and the second around 3 p.m. Their efficient fishing lets them spend most of the day
Birds in Summer — the Heat of the Day
Just a few weeks past the solstice, and the real heat of summer is yet to come. Some shorebirds are already on their way south, but most songbirds will be here for a while longer. What's the best time of day to look for them? Many birds are most active in the early morning, taking advantage of the abundance of insects at that hour. Midday heat sends people inside, and birds take a siesta, too. And
Zoos as Night Heron Habitats
Zoos can be great places to see birds, and not just in an aviary – wild birds sometimes feel right at home in these urban green spaces. For example, Black-crowned Night Herons love nesting near bodies of water where they can catch fish, frogs, and other prey. They may find that the pond within a crocodile exhibit is also the perfect spot for a rookery! Next time you visit a zoo near you, keep an e
Bearded Vulture Nests Are Natural Museums
Bearded Vultures have lived alongside humans for thousands of years. Though these majestic raptors are mostly found in Asia and Africa today, they were once abundant in Europe, too. While Bearded Vultures have vanished across much of their original range, their nests remain like time capsules of a bygone era. Researchers analyzed historical nests in southern Spain where the birds haven’t been seen
Anhingas — Snakebirds
In the black water of a Louisiana bayou, the water ripples where a slender form glides just beneath the surface. It appears to be a snake, but look closer at the long, narrow spike of a beak. It’s a snakebird, a colloquial name for the Anhinga, swimming with just its head and neck above the water. An Anhinga hangs motionless in the water or swims slowly just below the surface, its neck crooked, li
The Ballet of the Grebes
When a pair of Western Grebes decides it’s time to mate, they call loudly and approach one another. Each bird curves, then straightens, its long neck gracefully. They then face each other, necks on the water’s surface, their bills flipping up drops of water. If attraction prevails, they rush together and off they go across the water, running on the surface side by side. Standing straight up with n
The Superbly Adapted Osprey
This Osprey looks similar to other birds of prey. But the species is truly unique among raptors. For example, the Osprey is the only raptor with oily feathers. And the Osprey’s long, slender, arched wings help it clear the water as it takes flight after catching a fish. The Osprey we see today — just one species worldwide — has changed little since tens of millions of years ago, suggesting that ov
Spark Bird: Olya Weekley And The House-Martins
When wildlife conservationist Olya Weekley was a little kid, she noticed something incredible from her grandmother’s kitchen window: a pair of House Martins had built a mud nest in the eaves of their third floor apartment. That experience sparked Olya’s life-long love of birds. Now she leads the nestbox program at Tucson Bird Alliance, which designs nestboxes for desert birds and helps people crea
Kipukas and Akis
One of Hawaii’s rarest forest birds is this ‘akiapola’au. Some of the roughly 1,000 'akis left on earth live and breed in kipukas on the lower slopes of Mauna Loa, Hawaii’s largest active volcano. A kipuka is an island of native forest surrounded not by water but by recent lava flows - a green oasis in a sea of black lava. Kipukas are critical areas of native habitat. And the ‘akiapola’au is espec
Pick Up Plastic for Seabirds
Billions of pounds of plastic end up in our global oceans every year. Birds – like this Short-tailed Shearwater – that mistake this pollution for food often die from malnutrition, poisoning, or damage to their digestive systems. We can all make the world a safer place for birds and people by keeping plastic out of our waterways. You can replace single-use plastics with reusable items, join a comm
J. Drew Lanham’s Taxonomy of Bird Obsessions
Ornithologist J. Drew Lanham's favorite bird is “the one with feathers.” But here, he shares a few species that have been especially on his mind lately — “selected birds of the moment annotated by why.”
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Rock Climbing Among the Peregrines
Eagle Cliff in New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch State Park is an important nesting site for Peregrine Falcons. Each year, popular climbing routes in the area close temporarily to give nesting falcons their space. After peregrines disappeared from the northeast due to the pesticide DDT, Eagle Cliff was the first natural rock face to host a successful peregrine nest. Now, state agencies and New Hamps
Mississippi Kites
The Mississippi Kite is one of America's most elegant raptors. These dove-gray birds spend the summer hunting over plains and woodlands in the southern United States. They often nest colonially — unusual for hawks — with a half-dozen pairs in sight of one another in a grove of tall trees. By nesting in groups, they can work together to mob an approaching predator.
This show is dedicated to the mem
The Marsh Wren
Some bird-lovers have tagged the Marsh Wren the "Heinz 57 variety" bird, because scientists have recorded 57 different variations of its song. And nightfall doesn't faze these birds. A male may sing straight through the night. Marsh Wrens usually forage out of view, hopping up only for brief moments. You're most likely to see only movement among the cattails. It's just one of many species to benef
Clean Up Crumbs for Birds
Marbled Murrelets are secretive little birds that spend most of their lives at sea — but they breed in redwood forests! While North America’s remaining redwoods are protected in parks, predators are moving in. Stellar’s Jays and Common Ravens are just two opportunists that thrive on our food that human visitors leave behind. And once they’ve eaten our leftover trail mix, their next meal may be a m
An Albatross Surfs the Wind
By moving from the faster high air to slower low air, or vice versa, an albatross can propel itself forward. In a series of sinuous loops, the albatross surfs the wind, up and down, repeating the pattern over and over again as it moves thousands of miles across the ocean.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Spark Bird: Adriaan Dokter And The Common Swift
Adriaan Dokter is an aerial ecologist who designs tools to study how birds migrate. On the Bring Birds Back podcast, Adriaan traces his fascination with flight back to an early experience with common birds. Listen to the full episode here and on your favorite podcast app.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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The Hardy Harlequin
Some ducks don't sound like ducks at all. Some — like the Harlequin — squeak. Harlequins are unique in other ways, too. Quick and agile in rushing white water, they dive to the bottom of mountain streams for food, and use fast-flowing rivers for breeding. If you're lucky enough to spot a Harlequin Duck, you may guess how it got its name. Dressed in vivid multi-colored patches, "harlequin" is the j
The Surprising Secret of Hummingbird Tongues
Hummingbirds use their long tongues to sip nectar from flowers. They’re able to roll their tongues into a tube-like shape. Since the 1800s, scientists thought those tongues worked through capillary action, like how water instantly rises into a straw in a full cup. But when scientists spent years using slow-motion cameras to capture hummingbirds drinking in greater detail, they uncovered a complete
Taking the Bus for Birds
By carrying more people in a single vehicle, mass transit can use less energy than cars. Taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can help the hundreds of bird species put at risk by climate change. Not to mention, you can do a little birding on the commute – on the way to the bus or train stop, and on the ride itself.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Helmeted Guineafowl Sound the Alarm
Helmeted Guineafowl are known for moving in frantic flocks, often running and squawking about. In their native range – from Senegal to South Africa – these chicken-sized birds are favored prey of wild cats and Martial Eagles, so they need to be alert! Because they’re also spooked by unfamiliar people, guineafowl are often employed as burglar alarms on farms.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.or
Glowing Feathers
When a Northern Saw-whet Owl spreads its wings, many birds can see something our human eyes can’t: the owl’s flight feathers glow with ultraviolet light. It’s invisible to humans without the help of a UV blacklight. While the glowing feathers on parrots might help them attract mates, the reason for the owls’ glowing feathers still isn’t clear. However, scientists realized that they could estimate
Crow Parents, Fearless Defenders
Although the American Crow may seem indifferent about pillaging another bird's nest, they regard a threat to their own young as a punishable offense. To protect their nest, adult crows dive-bomb people, cats, other animals, and even other birds. Young crows fledge when they are around five or six weeks old, and their parents continue to care for them for months.
More info and transcript at BirdNot
Three Remarkable Rosy-Finches
Rosy-Finches are a family of alpine songbirds. Three species can be found in the US and Canada: Grey-Crowned Rosy-Finch, Black Rosy-Finch and Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (shown above). All wear pink on their bellies and wings. But spotting that namesake hue means trekking up some of the most rugged terrain on the continent.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Christian Cooper, Cattle Egrets, and Cinema
Author Christian Cooper is never not birding — even at the movies. For season 8 of the Bring Birds Back, Christian shares the story of a bird out of place in the 2006 film Apocalypto. Listen to the full episode about birds on screen here and in your favorite podcast app.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Swift Bricks
Common Swifts in Europe nest in eaves and under roof tiles and gables. But modern construction doesn’t have these nooks and crannies, and populations of swifts have been declining. However, there’s a solution called the “swift brick,” a small nesting box that fits right into the wall of a house or office building.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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The Bald Eagle, a National Symbol
Immature Bald Eagles look so different from mature Bald Eagles that early ornithologists thought they were a different species entirely! Sitting about three feet tall, these majestic birds have wingspans of more than six feet. Stretch your arms as far as you can, and imagine a bird whose reach is even greater!
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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A Young Bewick's Wren Learns to Sing
At this time of year, a very young male Bewick's Wren is beginning to learn how to sing. His father sings a crisp well-defined song, separated by pauses, but the young bird's song is fuzzy, unfocused, a little rambling. Each adult male Bewick's Wren has his own set of unique songs. A young wren grows up learning his father's songs. But when young bird matures and moves to its own new territory, it
Birding 101: Bird Sound Vocabulary
Bird voices can vary tremendously. Learning to describe how a bird sounds will make it easier to figure out who’s singing. This episode shares a few common terms to start birding by ear.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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The Baltimore Oriole
Not all blackbirds are mostly black. This Baltimore Oriole is orange! The bird's common name is a nod to Sir George Calvert, First Lord of Baltimore, whose coat-of-arms carried a gold and black design. In spring and summer, you may see these orioles in the Midwest and eastern U.S., lighting up the trees where they nest. If you're lucky enough to live near Baltimore Orioles, entice them to your fee
Hunting and Conservation Go Hand in Hand
When waterfowl are in decline, hunters are some of the first people to sound the alarm — and fund their recovery. On the Bring Birds Back podcast, Ducks Unlimited project manager Jared Henson discusses the many ways that waterfowl hunters contribute both money and data towards wetland conservation.
Learn more in season 8 of Bring Birds Back, available in your favorite podcast app!
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David Shepard’s Aloha Shirts
After David Shephard moved to Hawai‘i to study botany, he realized that the “main character” of the islands is birds — many plants have co-evolved with birds due to their central role in Hawaiian ecosystems. He now designs Aloha Shirts that feature the native plants and wildlife of Hawai‘i, including the ‘i‘iwi, a bird that has cultural significance for Hawaiians.
More info and transcript at BirdN
Traveling with Blue-winged Teal
Noticeably smaller than Mallards, Blue-winged Teal wings have large patches of powder blue edged in emerald. Blue-winged Teal are long-distance migrants, traveling from nesting areas in Canada and the U.S. to South America for the winter. They feed in shallow water with a preference for snails and fly larvae. In fall and winter they seek out plant matter, especially seeds.
More info and transcript
Okefenokee Swamp and Prothonotary Warbler
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was set aside to protect the fabled Okefenokee Swamp of Georgia and Florida. Tall cypress trees and Spanish moss give the swamp a prehistoric appearance. The Prothonotary Warbler is one of the most striking of the swamp’s denizens. Having wintered in the West Indies, a male might return to the Okefenokee and establish a breeding territory. Because it lives d
Delightful Duets
While many songbirds are accomplished soloists, some of the bird world’s most impressive performances are actually duets. In North America, breeding pairs of Carolina Wrens sing duets to strengthen their bond and defend territory.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Tree Swallows and Feathers
Tree Swallows glisten in the June sunlight, as they swoop and glide, their arcs interlacing in the air. When a white feather flutters down among them, one swallow snatches the feather in its bill and flies upward, as another gives chase. After a moment, the lead bird lets loose the feather, which drifts lazily, until the second bird swoops to catch it in midair. Loose feathers are important for Tr
Yellow-billed Magpie
Yellow-billed Magpies are clever, colorful birds — and they’re only found in central California. Their hefty bodies are boldly patterned in black, white, and iridescent blue. Like their crow and jay cousins, these corvids are adventurous eaters that often forage on the ground in noisy groups. In California’s oak-dominated woods and grasslands, you’ll find them feasting on acorns, insects, grains,
Buzzy, Black and Yellow ... Birds!
Golden-cheeked Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Townsend’s Warblers, and Hermit Warblers share similar songs and plumage. Though they all breed in different areas of North America, they can often be found flocking together on wintering grounds in Central America. Genetic studies have confirmed what their family resemblance suggests: these four warblers are closely related and likely shared
World Rainforest Day
Tropical rainforests are stunning places. Despite covering a small part of the Earth’s surface, they support half of the world’s biodiversity. The variety of lifeforms stands out visually in stunning color, and in sound through the strange and beautiful calls of birds. Today is World Rainforest Day, which recognizes the importance of safeguarding rainforests for future generations.
More info and t
Marsh Voices at Sunrise
In marshes across the country, birds awaken on a summer morning. Tall dense grasses and reeds often make marsh birds hard to see, but their voices carry easily across the lush, green landscape. You can hear birds like the Redhead, the Sora, the American Bittern, the Ruddy Duck, this Yellow-headed Blackbird, and many more.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Studying Climate Change by Watching Bird Nests
Organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and by Birds Canada, volunteers for Project NestWatch observe local nesting birds and track whether they’re successful in raising their young. Because the nest-watching volunteers monitor birds over a huge area, they cover way more ground than a small team of scientists ever could. Data from Project NestWatch helped scientists reveal that cold snaps and
The Power of Albatross Partnerships
Waved Albatrosses produce such slow-growing, needy offspring that females lay only a single egg every two years. And both parents need to share the load until youngsters can hunt on their own. Albatrosses tend to pair for life, and reunited pairs go through an elaborate, synchronized ritual of braying, wing spreading, and bill tapping to reaffirm their bonds.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.o
Migrations: Tiny Bird, Epic Journey
In the spring, Rufous Hummingbirds journey from Mexico to the northwest U.S., some as far north as Alaska! That’s almost 1,000 miles one way for a bird measuring just under four inches beak to tail, making this the longest migration of any bird relative to body length. Not long after arriving, they bulk up on nectar and bugs for the scenic return trip over the Rocky Mountains.
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White-tailed Kite
White-tailed Kites are distinctive birds of prey. They only live in a few states in the U.S., but they’re common in grasslands throughout much of Central and South America where they hunt for rodents and small prey. Though White-tailed Kites are globally abundant, they still face threats from habitat loss across the Americas. We can support these graceful raptors by preserving the grasslands they
Building Nature Trails Accessible to Blind People
When Juan Pablo Culasso spends time outside, he often encounters people thinking he doesn’t belong out there as a blind person – despite the fact that he’s a renowned nature recordist. He helped design nature trails in Colombia with features that make them more accessible for people who are visually impaired, including guide ropes with textures that signal points of interest and QR codes that prov
American Oystercatcher
American Oystercatchers are crow-sized shorebirds that can be found foraging in intertidal zones along the U.S. Atlantic shoreline and both coasts of Central and South America. Their bodies are mostly black and white, except for bright yellow eyes and a long, orange bill. Sadly, researchers estimate that between 1970 and 2023, American Oystercatchers lost roughly half their population to habitat d
Pigeon Babies Do Exist
Rock Pigeons are one of the most common urban birds. But why do we never see baby pigeons? Some baby birds — like down-covered ducks, geese, and chickens — leave their nest shortly after hatching and do a lot of growing up while following their parents around. Others, like pigeons, depend on their parents to feed and protect them, well into their youth. They stay in the nest — under bridges and aw
The Royal Pigeons
Despite their modern reputation, pigeons were once beloved by royalty. Akbar the Great, ruler of the Mughal Empire in the 16th Century, kept over 20,000 pigeons. Owning pigeons in parts of Europe was a privilege restricted to the nobility. Pigeon ownership became a flashpoint during the French Revolution, when commoners finally gained the right to raise pigeons. Learn more in Rosemary Mosco’s book
Juan Fernandez Firecrown
The Juan Fernandez Firecrown is a critically endangered hummingbird that is only found on Robinson Crusoe Island, near Chile. Measuring more than 4 inches long from beak to tail, the firecrown is hefty for a hummingbird. To conserve energy while feeding, the birds often hang upside down on flowers rather than hovering in place! As they feed, the hummingbirds transport pollen between forest flowers
Legislating is for the Birds
In American democracy, elected officials work for the people. That means you can be a voice for birds by reaching out to your representatives at every level of government. On the Bring Birds Back podcast, Hardy Kern explains how the American Bird Conservancy is taking legislative action for birds. Listen to the full episode in season 8 of Bring Birds Back.
Support for BirdNote is provided by Sarah
Olive-sided Flycatcher
What a comfort it would be if every bird song were as easy to recognize — and remember — as that of this Olive-sided Flycatcher. Some people think it sounds like "quick-THREE-beers" or "what PEEVES you." Do you drink coffee? Then you can help Olive-sided Flycatchers, when you choose to drink shade-grown coffee. It encourages coffee growers to keep the trees that migratory songbirds need to survive
Sagebrush Sparrow
A chill wind ruffles the feathers of a male Sagebrush Sparrow (formerly known as the Sage Sparrow), as he sings atop a tall sagebrush. It is late February, a few miles from the Columbia River in Central Washington. Sagebrush Sparrows are arriving north from wintering in the Southwestern deserts. Unlike most songbirds, male and female Sagebrush Sparrows often arrive on their nesting grounds already
The Link Between Whales, Seabirds, and a Tiny Fish
In shallow waters off the coast of Massachusetts, ocean predators come from far and wide to hunt. Humpback whales join Great Shearwaters and many other seabirds in pursuing sand lance, a tiny fish that these top predators rely on for sustenance. But sand lance are vulnerable to climate change — putting the rest of the ecosystem, including seabirds, at risk.
This episode is dedicated to Bob Goodale
Spider Silk — Duct Tape for Bird Nests
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 the nest together, but it’s flexible enough to accommodate the growing
Baby Birds — Leave Them Alone
Just because a young bird appears to be alone – whether on the ground or squawking loudly from a bush or tree – doesn't necessarily mean it is sick or injured. In June, young birds, including this juvenile Northern Flicker, are leaving their nests. And most likely, a parent is near-by and will soon return. What can you do to help? Keep your cats indoors - especially during the birds' breeding seas
Cover Open Pipes To Protect Birds
Open, vertical pipes are commonly used to build fences, anchor gates, and post signs. Inquisitive birds often inspect these cavities in their search for food and nest sites. But without enough room to turn around or spread his wings in the smooth pipe, the little bird will be trapped — and eventually die. It’s why conservationists call them death pipes.
Conservation groups like the Tucson Bird All
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