About Birds

10 Fun Facts About the Barred Owl

February 12, 2021 — Maniacal laughter. Pink wings. Tree climbing. This bird has a lot going on.

Bird Questions and Facts

The Harrier and the Owl

October 26, 2020 — A poetic observation of interesting raptor behavior near Audubon's Gillmor Sanctuary.

ROCKIES Explore Birds

Ask Kenn: Do More Birds Migrate Through the Eastern United States?

October 15, 2020 — In this month's Ask Kenn!, bird expert Kenn Kaufman provides a detailed look at how geography shapes the routes of migratory birds.

Bird Questions and Facts

Roxie Laybourne studies specimens from the Birds Collection at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., in 1992. Chip Clark/Division of Birds, NMNH, Smithsonian Institution

The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne

October 05, 2020 — From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.

Profiles

10 Fun Facts About the American Robin

July 28, 2020 — They might be one of our most common birds, but there is plenty you don't know about this thrush. (Yep, it's a thrush.)

Bird Questions and Facts

How a White-throated Sparrow's New Tune Went Viral

July 02, 2020 — A modified dialect of male song began in a local population in western Canada and, in two decades, traveled to birds more than 1,800 miles away.

Bird Songs and Calls

A Mourning Dove at a rehabilitation center.

The Dos and Don’ts of Helping Baby and Injured Birds

June 02, 2020 — Learn how to tell if a bird really needs your help, and what you should do if it does.

ROCKIES

When to Expect Hummingbirds at Your Feeders and Flowers This Spring

May 21, 2020 — Warmer weather is on its way—and so are migrant hummers returning from their southern wintering grounds to their summer breeding ranges. Here’s a regional guide for when they should arrive and the food they’re seeking.

Bird Migration