Bird Questions and Facts

A flock of birds flies across a red sky with a crescent-shaped sun.
A Total Solar Eclipse Is Coming. How Will Birds and Other Wildlife React?
March 15, 2024 — When the moon covers the sun, animals get weird. April’s eclipse gives scientists—and you—a chance to learn more about their responses. Here's how and where you can take part.
Bird Behavior
A Bald Eagle sits in a nest on the ground looking at the camera.
Why Do Birds Incubate Rocks?
March 14, 2024 — From stones to bones and other random objects, birds have been found to incubate seemingly anything that looks like an egg. But maybe that’s also the point?
Two doves stand on a rock gently preening each others necks against a green out-of-focus background.
10 Fun Facts About the Mourning Dove
March 04, 2024 — Wing whistlers, chaotic nesters, and ... milk drinkers? These birds may be common, but they’re anything but boring.
A round, fluffy-looking owl sits in a tree hollow in the falling snow.
How Do Birds Cope With Cold Winter Weather?
January 24, 2024 — From fluffing up to hunkering down, birds rely on these survival strategies when the temperature dips.
A colorful male wood duck flaps its wings rising up out of the water on a misty lake.
10 Fun Facts About the Wood Duck
December 13, 2023 — Discover what makes this dazzling duck a prolific nester and a master of woody swamps.
A bright red cardinal flies just above the snow-covered ground, against a sparkling white snow-covered background.
10 Fun Facts About the Northern Cardinal
August 07, 2023 — What’s in a name? Who knows, but this bird has a whole bunch of them.
A Painted Bunting perched on a branch, a colorful bird with red, blue, purple, yellow, and green feathers.
Why Are Buntings All So Good?
June 01, 2023 — An Audubon magazine investigation.
A male and female Canvasback duck face each other in the water, the male looking back with a vibrant red eye.
Bird Eyes Come In an Amazing Array of Colors—but Why Is a Mystery
February 07, 2023 — A recent study analyzing what scientists know about avian eye color finds that there are numerous questions left to solve.
Bird Science
A Canada Goose emerging from water, droplets splashing.
10 Fun Facts About the Canada Goose
December 14, 2022 — Yep, it’s actually called a Canada, not a Canadian, Goose. And that’s not even one of our fun facts!
Let's Talk Turkey Beards
November 18, 2022 — They're real, and they're magnificent.