Some weekends are sublime and others mundane. Obviously, we cannot survive one transcendent weekend after another, but this stretch of late winter seems to require more than the usual routine. I found little inspiration in the usual birds, so I turned to the great Herman Melville for some grand avian allegory: And there is a Catskill [...]

While green is rather common color in avian plumage, it rarely attains the flamboyance of a parrot’s chartreuse or the emerald of a hummingbird. More birds are adorned in more practical, which is to say muted tones. One rather colorful name for a stock yet sober shade of green is OLIVACEOUS. Olivaceous means just what [...]

During the last week, I received some terrific photos from two readers who had encountered a very distinctive duck at Brazos Bend State Park in Texas. They weren’t quite sure about its identity, but I bet you have some ideas. Take a guess, then check out the link after the photos to see if you’re right! [...]

Feel the damp scent of spring (or the spicy tang of autumn for those of you on the austral side of the Earth) in the air? Don’t get ahead of yourself! Yes, the first feelers of migration will soon infiltrate your budding trees and bushes, but winter may still have plans for us. Living in [...]

A thoughtful reader just pointed me towards one of the coolest posts I’ve seen in a long time, one which asks and then answers the question regarding whether the Golden Eagle or the Bald Eagle is the fiercest predator.  The brutality here is mind-boggling!  Sure, this post has been around for a while, but I [...]

The more data about bird migration we gather from professional and citizen science efforts, the more each one of us can learn about the comings and goings of our favorite species. Obviously, when Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology collaborate on a Bird Migration Forecast tool, the result is going to be pretty spectacular.   But information wants to [...]

We’re in the rough part of winter now, the part that seems to keep spring just a fingertip’s length out of reach. I’m not saying winter has been rough, since the season has actually been rather clement. But even one extra day of February keeps us that much farther from our long awaited vernal visitors. [...]

Now that the Great Backyard Bird Count has ended, reports are rolling in from the Rio Grande Valley to Nunavut (thanks, Clare!) I’m wondering about how participation in an extreme or prolonged bird watching event affects interest in further birding. This question isn’t just apropos to North American birders but really to anyone who engages [...]

If you were ever looking for a reason to pay careful attention to the common birds around you, this weekend offered the perfect opportunity. Have you been participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count? Honestly, I did not embrace the GBBC with all my heart. This weekend was dedicated to enjoying the company of my visiting [...]

Beware the Ides of February! Schools across the United States are closing for Mid-Winter Break, which means the nation will be abuzz with energetic kids fighting boredom. Some families will travel, while others might prefer to hunker down and hibernate. How about you? What will you be doing this weekend and will you be birding? [...]

If you are one of those nature lovers that appreciates that original Audubon plates do not represent the full extent of avian art, you may appreciate the new exhibit at the Freer Gallery of Art on the National Mall. Winged Spirits: Birds in Chinese Painting presents the finest of avian and flower art from the [...]

Last weekend, millions of people devoted their full attention to football and the accouterments of Super Bowl festivities. This weekend, the annual Grammy awards along with the unscheduled and untimely demise of a pop icon ensured that music dominated wide interest. Do you think that any event in our lifetimes will ever focus so much positive attention [...]

Many of us are in the midst of a winter that never was heading towards a Valentine’s Day that may never be. If you have romantic plans this weekend, make reservations in advance. If love isn’t in the air in your immediate vicinity, why not birding? I’ll be headed up to the lakefront this weekend; [...]

Derek Kverno has already created epic blog travelogues of his stints in Ecuador and Tanzania. Now he’s moved to Brazil, which means we get to vicariously explore the avifauna of another bird-rich country. Awesome!

Ever wonder why displaying a disrespectful middle finger is called flipping the bird? Brian Palmer at Slate breaks down birds’ long association with taunting. Anyone who’s recently missed a target bird (perhaps a Black Rail) can relate!

Yee-haw! The New York Football Giants have won the Super Bowl for the second time in 4 years. Not too shabby! Not only does my football team end up on top, but now I get my Sundays back! This weekend, however, I didn’t see any special birds, unless you count the bird M.I.A. flipped during [...]

The first weekend of February holds a special place in the hearts of sports fans and advertising aficionados across North America and beyond.  Super Bowl Sunday is among my favorite holidays, and this one means more than most as my favorite team is gunning for the NFL Championship. Let’s hear your predictions, people: Who will win [...]

Do you get out birding much? If you’re checking in here on a Monday morning, chances are you have a bird tale to tell. Then again, maybe like me you simply enjoy hearing about the avian observations of others even when you can’t make time for your own bird chases. Speaking of Birdchasers, Rob Fergus [...]

At this moment, 3,000 people like 10,000 Birds on Facebook. Not bad for a birding blog! This seems like an excellent opportunity for us to let you know how grateful we are that you’re sharing this collective journey of discovery and adventure with us. Thank you!

One of the sweetest subsections of the duck family has to be the sawbills, formally known as mergansers. Mergansers are a family of diving waterfowl in Merginae, the seaduck subfamily of Anatidae. Ironically, only one of these seaducks is truly a seafarer, the others favoring rivers and lakes. The name ‘merganser’ is said to have [...]