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About Birds

A female Wilson's Warbler perched on a leafy branch holding a green caterpillar in her beak.
Many Female Songbirds Have Shorter Lifespans Than Males, Scientists Find
September 02, 2026 — A massive study uncovered significant survival differences between the two sexes of North America's perching birds.
Bird Science
A green and red Hummingbird Clearwing moth hovers at a white flower.
Double Take: Why Hummingbird Moths Look and Act Just Like Hummingbirds
August 20, 2026 — If you've confused these two lookalikes before, you're not alone. Here's what the moths have in common with hummers, how they differ, and where to see them.
Bird Questions and Facts
Two shorebird chicks in hand
Gambling With Gulls, Beleaguered Bogs, and Other Stories
August 17, 2026 — Shorebird news from Cook Inlet’s 2026 breeding season.
ALASKA Bird Science
Man with backpack on landscape
A Safer Shot: How Copper Ammunition Can Help Protect Alaska’s Birds
August 14, 2026 — When hunters field dress their harvest, nutrient-rich remains are left in the field and are an important food source for birds. However, there is a hidden danger within that resource.
ALASKA Bird News
Rare Footage Shows Woodcock Hens Fending Off an Unlikely Nest Intruder: Deer
August 12, 2026 — White-tailed deer are known to opportunistically eat bird eggs and possibly even chicks—but camera traps in West Virginia showed some female birds are surprisingly fearless in fending them off.
Bird Behavior
A male Northern Cardinal perched on a branch, singing.
Birds Build Their Songs Using Just Eight Musical Elements, Study Finds
July 23, 2026 — A new analysis reveals that songbirds across the world mix and match the same whistles, trills, and other acoustic motifs to create their diverse tunes.
Bird Science
A Great Horned Owl chick snuggling up to its parent on their nest.
10 Fun Facts About the Great Horned Owl
July 21, 2026 — Fearsome hunters, doting parents, eager breeders—it's easy to give a hoot about these birds.
Bird Questions and Facts
A Pileated Woodpecker sticks its head out of a hole in a fungus-covered tree., throwing bits of bark from its beak.
Wait—Do Woodpeckers Kill Trees?
July 16, 2026 — The charismatic chiselers are built to chip away bark and hollow out holes. Here's why this behavior isn't typically harmful to a tree and can even be beneficial.
Bird Questions and Facts
Yellow-breasted Chat
Ode to the Yellow-breasted Chat
July 09, 2026 — A glimpse into a bird with an endless song
SOUTHWEST Bird News
A male Painted Bunting perched in a field of purple thistle flowers looks head on at the camera.
10 Fun Facts About the Painted Bunting
June 25, 2026 — Yes, they're real—and they're spectacular.
Bird Questions and Facts