Saltmarshes have long been in the way of “progress”. We’ve torn them out to plant crops, build houses, and drained them. Since they are designed to buffer the land behind them during periods of hurricanes or super high tide inundations, our changes have greatly diminished the beneficial effects we derive from them. And saltmarshes are the only […]
Bird migration is one of nature’s most awe-inspiring phenomena. Across eight major global flyways, birds navigate diverse terrains, face unique challenges, and cover vast distances. Many of the birds we see during nesting season spend the majority of their time migrating or overwintering in distant places. But we can help them locally when they are […]
For most birds, hurricanes are to be avoided at all costs. But some birds find them to be just what they need. Hurricane season coincides with early fall migration. Countless birds encounter hurricanes and high winds en route, and are either blown way off course, or are unable to survive. But for some birds, hurricanes are […]
The Pacific Flyway, which runs along the Pacific coast of the Americas is a heavily used migratory pathway for shorebirds – some of which migrate many thousands of miles twice annually. These birds rely on stopover sites to rest and refuel during their long journeys. However, over the past 150 years, many of these […]
Flyways are ancient aerial highways all migrating land and shore birds use globally to move between overwintering and breeding locations every year. There are eight major flyways over land around the globe. But did you know that over the high seas, there are also Marine Flyways? Seabirds like petrels, albatross and terns are pelagic birds […]
We have chicks! Don’t miss a single one… Bermuda Petrel – Nonsuch Island, Bermuda – The cahow pair has their one fluffy chick! If the nestcam isn’t working you can always watch the egg being laid in this wonderful clip. West End Bald Eagles – Catalina, CA – Three eaglets at this cliff nest! Northern […]
It’s a great time to be watching birds nest and go about their business. Check out some of these birdcams from the US, Panama, Bermuda, South Africa and New Zealand. There are plenty of birds around the world to keep you busy! Bermuda Petrel – Nonsuch Island, Bermuda – The cahow pair has their one […]
Not all birds migrate. But of the roughly 40% who do, different species migrate in different ways, at different times and different distances. Some birds like Bar-tailed Godwits repeatedly set records for the longest sustained flight without any stops – now over 9 days from Alaska to New Zealand! Northern Bobwhites migrate up and down […]
Vultures may not be the cutest or the most beautiful of birds, but they are incredibly efficient disposers of carcasses and maintainers of a healthy environment and a keystone species. A flock of 100 vultures can completely clean up a 100-pound carcass in 3 minutes. Quick clean-up means there is less chance of disease spreading […]
Next time you consider a dish with hearts of palm, check the source. Hearts of palm are the tiny edible portions of the palm tree just below the branches. It’s the “heart” of the tree and for culinary purposes comes from one of several edible palms. Some are harvested from US palmettos which are the domestic […]
Welcome to the Atlantic Forest! Join our Brassy-breasted Tanager (our coverbird) and 190 other endemic birds who call this biodiversity icon home. A dense, stunning South American forest habitat that used to span nearly 350 million acres in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, now just 12% of this unique climate-mitigating South American forest remains. Despite […]
Not all birds migrate. But of the roughly 40% who do, different species migrate in different ways, at different times and different distances. Some birds like Bar-tailed Godwits repeatedly set records for the longest sustained flight without any stops – now over 9 days from Alaska to New Zealand! Northern Bobwhites migrate up and down a mountain to […]
Part of the Bring Birds Back series, in this incisive piece, BirdNote explains why wind farms pose such a massive peril for birds, and the creative ways one leading organization is using artificial intelligence as a game changer to keep birds safe. Don’t miss this BirdNote daily podcast.
Piping Plovers are a beach bird so tiny, most people think the adult is the chick. They are an endangered species with 6000 birds left – half of whom nest on busy beaches in New Jersey. Here’s the stuff you need to know about them: Their nesting season starts with a taxing migration from the […]
Birds are mobile. This makes them often very difficult to keep track of, and in turn, learn more about. Finding out as many details of behavior, populations, nesting and overwintering locations and migratory routes is critical for scientists to know what areas to protect and which birds use them. Enter MOTUS Wildlife Tracking System. Created in 2014 […]
Imagine you’re a researcher sent to an island off New Guinea to find a bird no one had seen in over 140 years. You set up camera traps, spend weeks in the jungle and yet, no sign of your quarry – the Black-naped Pheasant Pigeon, or “Auwo” as they are locally known. Then, after feeling what […]
The Hawaiian islands were once home to 142 endemic bird species – birds found nowhere else on earth. Since the arrival of humans, 95 of these species are known to be extinct and 31 of the remaining birds are endangered. In this half hour BirdNote podcast – the first in a series about Hawaiian […]
Birdlife International recently released its updated report on the State of the Worlds Birds. Why is this important to know? Birds inhabit nearly every corner of the globe and are widely studied. They also are our early warning system. When there are environmental problems, birds let us know the effects early on. And for many decades, birds have been […]
Migration by its nature is treacherous. If you’re a bird, every day on migration presents a minefield of potential surprises and changes -what happens when you’re exhausted after days of flying and there’s no food; the resting place you counted on is now a busy hotel beach; or you try to get some sleep […]
There are lots of chicks in nests and eggs that are about to hatch! Plus some great relaxing cams to watch birds on migration. Or visit a feeder station in the tropics. Take your pick! NEW!Peregrine Falcons, Baltimore, Maryland – four eggs being incubated by Barb3 and Boh2 West End Bald Eagle Cam, California […]
In winter, Snowy Owls often travel far south of their Arctic tundra homes and can be found in the oddest places. This year, there were a few very public appearances of Snowy Owls – including in NYC’s Central Park and at Union Station in Washington DC. Both appearances made national headlines as residents and visitors alike […]
Lots to watch during the winter! From Northern Royal Albatross in New Zealand to Bald Eagles in California. Plus there are several links to watch migrating birds and our favorite neo-tropical feeder in Panama to get your fix of birds in a warmer climate. There’s always something going on! West End Bald Eagle Cam, California – Two eggs […]
Lots to watch during the winter! From teeny baby Allen’s Hummingbird chicks in California to Northern Royal Albatross in New Zealand. Plus there are several links to watch migrating birds and our favorite neo-tropical feeder in Panama to get your fix of birds in a warmer climate. There’s always something fun to watch! NEW! Allen’s Hummingbird […]
Words can’t adequately describe the life and experience of Hudsonian Godwits. Until recently, the lives of this large, graceful shorebird were a mystery. But what scientists are now discovering about these birds and their future is both awe-inspiring and alarming. Hudsonian Godwits are one of 70 species of birds that twice-yearly fly a dangerous, harrowing, […]
This holiday season a special and unusual album topped the charts in Australia. Surprisingly, it had no musical tracks – just bird calls. But not just any bird calls. BirdLife Australia put together recordings of 53 of the rarest birds in Australia offering a unique immersion into the highly unusual and often surprising sounds […]
There’s been a lot of excitement about a Steller’s Sea Eagle that’s been roving around the US. This enormous eagle – which is larger than our Bald Eagle – is a native of the Russia Far East, Japan, and Korea. First seen in North America last year in Alaska and Saskatchewan, then Texas, now the bird is […]
Dogs are enthusiastic and loving. But wildlife doesn’t see our gentle canine companions through the same lens we do. Dogs, coyotes and foxes are all part of the canid family, and birds and many other animals see them as predators. The presence of a dog of any size merely passing by a nest on the […]
Nesting season is in full swing! There are so many nestcams, it’s hard to choose. Bald Eagles DNR and Mr. North, a fluffy Northern Royal Albatross chick, our favorite California Condors, Bermuda Petrels, The Savannah Ospreys, roosting Long-eared Owls …and much more! Decorah Eagles – Pictured above -DNR and Mr. North have 2 eggs! First was […]
Enlarge your understanding of birds with BirdNote’s new series – Threatened. Enjoy longer, in-depth stories about birds and explore what happens when humans dramatically alter the landscape — and why some birds can hack it in the new norm, while others struggle. In this episode, we’re traveling to Idaho, where native grasslands were once a diverse […]
For many shorebirds, nesting season is highly stressful and often unsuccessful – often due to human interaction. But in one spot in NJ, there is a protected beach area where Piping Plovers can raise their brood relatively undisturbed – due to human intervention. Because here, a protected spot was built especially to protect the nesting habitat […]
Chestnut-breasted Coronet Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Top components of a winter birding getaway are often a warmer climate and seeing new and endemic birds. I have made a number of trips to Ecuador, but I have made a number of trips to Ecuador, but one of the most interesting was when I visited several of […]