What happens when we flush a resting flock of birds? During nesting season most people make an effort to not disturb birds nesting in trees, or on the ground or beach, as the consequences are obvious. But what about a flock just hanging out? How can chasing them, walking too close or having a dog […]
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 […]
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 […]
Get ready for shorebirds to start migrating north in late winter with an innovative chart that makes shorebird ID much easier. Shorebirds aren’t easy to identify. But with a comparison of bodies, beaks and legs in a Rockette-like line-up the differences between that Willet and Yellowlegs and the Sanderling and Dunlin are readily apparent. Who knew […]
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 […]
The mysteries of bird migration may never be completely unraveled. But with new technology, information about birds’ activities — where they nest, overwinter and make stops along the way — are becoming more clear. This is critical information for biologists for the conservation of species. But now it is possible for all of us to see an interactive […]
The fall migration of sea ducks along the Atlantic coast is one of the great migration events in North America. In autumn, millions of seabirds take full advantage of the often 30-40 MPH tailwind, driving their ground speed to dizzying numbers. Flocks of hundreds of all species of Scoters, Gannets, with Red-throated loons and teal mixed […]
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 […]
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, […]
Writer and researcher Scott Weidensaul is an expert on migration. In his new book, A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds, he gets into their amazing feats of migration and the new technologies giving us insights into how they make their global journeys. Scott also explores the threats facing migratory birds […]
Scott Weidensaul, Pulitzer Prize finalist and bird researcher, speaks to NPR’s Fresh Air about some of the nearly unfathomable details of bird migration in this fascinating and timely podcast. Scott’s new book – A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds – is based on his extensive fieldwork and explores these topics in greater […]
When birds like these Sanderlings and Dunlin form flocks, each individual is less likely to be captured by a predator. Some shorebirds that forage with their heads down, like godwits, will flock with birds that forage with their heads up, like curlews. Still other birds work together — like American White Pelicans driving fish […]
Give it your all February 12-15 in the Great Backyard Bird Count! Run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this annual bird count is a really fun way to help birds as birdwatchers around the world record all the birds they have seen on these 4 days into their eBird accounts so Cornell has a snapshot of bird […]
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 […]
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Shorebirds embody the word “superlative” in almost every way. As a species, they make some of the toughest and longest distance migrations in the world. And now, a new official record for marathon non-stop flight has been set by a satellite tagged Bar-tailed Godwit who recently made a 12,000+ km (7,500 miles) migration with a small flock […]
Join the BirdLife International team on October 14 for a free webinar about what is being done to help migrating birds. The talks in this webinar will bring you up-to-speed with some of the remarkable achievements made for migratory birds. From cracking down on illegal hunting in Cyprus to keeping Egyptian Vultures safe from […]
What’s going on with shorebirds? These exquisitely evolved champions of extreme migration are facing shocking obstacles in their day to day lives. So much so that even shorebirds like Red Knots, which can fly over open water for 8 days – no sleeping, no eating, just flying non-stop – may not be able to survive some […]
Ever wonder why shorebirds have different colored legs? It’s not by accident! Nature has a plan for shorebirds to be able to see where they are going no matter where they are walking. Sound intriguing? Listen to this BirdNote piece! Yellowlegs; Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel
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 […]
A summer at the beach continues to be a favored American pastime – and one which is doable during the time of covid. But even with social distancing we are not alone on the beach! Of course, there are various species of gulls whose presence is unmistakable. But there are also lots of other birds who are […]
Common Yellow-throat Illustration by David Sibley When cities are quiet, we can easily hear the birds around us. This illuminating article from the New York Times helps us learn about 13 birds we live in close proximity with but may never have seen. With stunning images by David Sibley and informational sonograms of bird calls from Donald Kroodsma, this article […]
Snowy Egret Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel White wading birds are elegant and interesting to watch, but telling them apart can be confusing. Some waders may be grey or rufous, but have white morphs making it a little trickier to distinguish them from the birds which are always white. But for two of the more common egrets – Snowy […]
Last week, a group of conservation organizations led by Cornell Lab of Red-winged Blackbird Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Ornithology released a stunning report of a detailed study which shows a loss of 3 billion birds in North America in 50 years. It’s a staggering amount of birds – a net loss of 29% of the breeding […]
Check out this great video from Audubon about sharing our beaches with beach nesting birds – many of whom have little ones to care for. We can all #sharetheshore!
Piping Plover chick Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Tiny and aggressive, Piping Plovers migrate from Central America and the Bahamas to the US and Canada to breed each year. But pressure from human disturbances and development on or near their nesting areas, has pushed some of these birds to nest in unlikely and unsafe areas. […]
Pied Kingfisher, Eilat, Israel Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel If you find it difficult to tear yourself away from spring migrationwhere you live, you are not alone. But experiencing migration in another part of the world can be an amazing experience. If you are serious about birding, Israel is one of those places that should not be missed. […]
Black-tailed Godwit/Photo Credit: BirdLife Sweden For our year end issue we wanted to highlight some bird conservation success stories. Sometimes the challenges to birds and conservation can loom large. It’s not always good news. But there are numerous successes and new positive findings about birds which give us hope that the work we do on behalf of […]
How Many Birds Are on Fall Migration? Do you ever wonder how many birds are on the move during fall Tree Swallows Migrating Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel migration? We did and found Cornell Lab of Ornithology answered this question in their first report on numbers of birds migrating over the US from data gleaned from radar […]
Songbirds are mostly finished nesting, Guillemot Chick Screenshot: explore.org and their chicks are gaining strength to make their first migration south. But there are still some adorable nestlings and juvenile birds waiting to make their first flight. Don’t miss these seabirds and Osprey before they leave the nest! Puffin burrow with a fluffy puffling and a Guillemot chick in […]
The Year of the Bird in June – Take Action and Use Less Plastic! Dead Albatross chick with stomach full of plastic Photo Credit: Chris Jordan Time was when discussions surrounding plastic and birds often revolved around taking bags (often plastic) to the beach and gathering up the myriad detritus of birthday balloons, plastic […]
Cool Video About Nesting Shorebirds Shorebirds are nesting on our beaches, and in many areas we are already sharing the beach with tiny hatchlings. Many towns rope off nesting areas on the beach so shorebirds, who lay their eggs on the sand — in a little depression they create called a “scrape” –can have a […]
The Year of the Bird in April – Birds Need Your Help 2018 is the Year of the Bird, and in April, birds really need your help! The Year of the Bird celebrates the 100th anniversary of signing into law the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which has protected billions of birds on migration – from Peregrine Falcons to Magnolia Warblers, […]
doodle Sky Dance Have you ever seen or heard a Timberdoodle? Better known as Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel American Woodcock, this shy football-shaped forest bird cuts quite a figure dancing in the sky. In early spring woodcocks are migrating back north to get to their breeding ground, and April is a good time to see them […]
This month, many shorebirds are nesting in the high northern latitudes. A few species, such as Killdeer and Piping Plovers, nest in the Continental United States, but most are in northern Canada and Alaska, nesting on the tundra. Shorebirds are amazing, but many birders ignore this Sanderling dynamic group of birds because they are […]
At the beach you see a fairly large black and white bird with a long red or orange beak. What is it? There are two very distinctive birds at many beaches that nest in the same location and look very similar in color…but are very different. Here’s how to easily tell the difference between the […]
Red knot There are not too many superlatives to describe birds that make long migrations. The more you learn about what they do, the more impossible it seems. All birds face challenges during migration, and many birds routinely risk their lives to get to their ideal breeding destination or to make the trip south […]