Explore Birds

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 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.
Perfect Gifts for the Bird and Nature Lovers in Your Life
November 20, 2023 — Whether novice or expert, backyard birder or a globetrotting adventurer, we’ve got something for everyone on your list. Better yet: For many of these products, their purchase also benefits bird habitat.
Alton Flyway Mural by James K. Schmidt and Robert Fishbone
October 31, 2023 — Location: 136 Front Street, Alton, IL 62002
A woman smiles while holding a dandelion and talking to other people at a picnic table.
Meet Moe: Nature Journaler
October 06, 2023 — Moe helps others enjoy nature by slowing down and noticing the details.
A young girl in a striped dress looks through binoculars amid tall grass and wildflowers, with trees overhead.
A Binocular Guide for Growing Birders
September 29, 2023 — A good pair of bins can wow kids, helping them to delight in birding. These five picks make the grade.
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.
People wearing life vests look through binoculars while sitting in canoes on a river.
The Single Most Important Way to Make Your Binoculars Last
June 30, 2023 — Experts share how to keep your foremost birding tool in working order and what to do if yours breaks.
A woman looks something up on her phone in a forest, while high school students to the right hold up a plant and look through binoculars.
Don’t Have Binoculars To Go Birding? Try Borrowing a Pair From the Library
June 30, 2023 — Libraries across the country are lending gear to patrons, creating a new entry point to birding with no costs attached.
A small brown and gray bird perches at the entrance of its dome-like, moss-and-lichen nest, holding plant material in its beak.
Bird Nests Tell Extraordinary Stories, If You Learn How to Read Them
March 29, 2023 — Casey McFarland, author of “Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests,” describes how paying attention to nests can improve your birding.