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How Many Species of Redpolls Are There, Anyway?
Redpolls are tiny, incredibly hardy arctic finches. For most of us, they are longed-for visitors that show up at feeders every few years. When they do, there's always the hope of finding a pale Hoary Redpoll among the brown, streaky Common Redpolls. But a new look at these birds' DNA could change all that. Despite differing appearances, they are genetically almost identical. How can that be? Read the full story.
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Which Species Is This?
Here's a bird that looks somewhat familiar yet somehow unusual. It's small but not squat, with a bill stranded somewhere between short and long. It's spottier than a sparrow and thinner than a thrush. The open bill is a hint too—this bird is a prodigious songster. It's also an emblematic species of an immense North American ecosystem, from which it takes its name. Do you know which species this is? Check your guess and learn more.
Coming Soon: Learn much more about this species and its fragile ecosystem in The Sagebrush Sea, a gorgeous documentary set to air on the award-winning PBS series Nature, on Wednesday, May 20. |
So You Think You Can Dance—Like an Albatross?
This delightful video features four subadult Laysan Albatrosses practicing their courtship moves. The birds' antics are funny, but the video explains how it all comes together for a serious purpose. All those bill snaps, head tucks, and "sky moos" help establish and strengthen pair bonds. All the footage and albatross sounds were recorded on our albatross cam streaming live from Kauai, Hawaii. Watch the video—then check out the live cam.
More Busy Nesters: Nesting is well underway on our Red-tailed Hawk cam (Big Red and Ezra have 3 eggs), Barred Owl cam (2 eggs), and Barn Owl cam (5 eggs). Watch them all—and get ready for hatching toward the end of the month. |
 Can you see the eggs nestled in the gravel beneath this Killdeer? Photo by Sue Bishop via Birdshare.
Keep an Eye Out for Five of the Coolest Nests in North America
To celebrate spring, our Citizen Science team put their heads together and nominated five avian architects whose nests they admire. From the Killdeer's collection of sticks to the oriole's woven sock nest, the birds on this list make homes that fit their habitat in simple, daring, and fanciful ways. See the full list—or if you like minimalists, check out our picks for birds that don't make any nest at all.
Love Nests? Try NestWatch. Our free project has tons of info on common nesting birds, tips for birdhouses, and ways for you to contribute to science. |
 The author's goshawk, Mabel. Photo courtesy of Helen Macdonald.
A Falconer Reviews the Bestseller H Is for Hawk
In a deeply moving memoir, the science historian and poet Helen Macdonald chronicles her grief after losing her father, and the training of a goshawk that helped her through it. H Is for Hawk has won acclaim in both the U.K. and the U.S. for its lyrical writing. Lifelong falconer Tim Gallagher gives it equally high marks for the way it weaves falconry through the story. His review offers a unique perspective on this absorbing book. |
Boreal Birds Need Half: A campaign backed by the Boreal Songbird Initiative, Ducks Unlimited, Cornell Lab, and others urges protection of our continent's "bird nursery."
Hone Your Hawk Eye: We're offering a six-part series of raptor ID webinars. You can register for live webinars or access archives for ones you miss. Details here.
Enter the April eBird Challenge: Watch for raptors this month and enter them into eBird for a chance to win Zeiss binoculars.
Hummingbird Migration Made Visible: Data from eBirders helped scientists map the migration routes of five species. See the routes.
National Geographic blog explores our 271-bird mural, From So Simple a Beginning, one bird at a time.
Take a Road Trip: Our Upcoming Bird Festivals and Events webpage makes it easy to plan your next birding destination. You can look through listings by calendar or on a map, so you can start planning your road trip right from the page. |
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