Explore Birds

An aerial landscape dotted with small bodies of water.
Birding Bucket List: Tour America's ‘Duck Factory' in the Bird-Packed Prairie Pothole Region
March 25, 2025 — Glacier-carved fields and ephemeral wetlands provide a crucial stopover for long-distance migrants and prolific breeding grounds for a wide variety of duck species and other waterfowl.
Destinations
A group of people sitting in lawn chairs in a park, some holding binoculars.
How (and Why) to Host a Bird Sit
March 24, 2025 — Casual or competitive, stationary birding events provide a refreshingly different outdoor experience.
Birding Advice
Christopher Joe speaks to a group of people outside, many of whom have binoculars.
You Have What It Takes to Lead Bird Outings
March 24, 2025 — Not a bird expert? Not a problem. To guide a group you need enthusiasm and a welcoming attitude, not perfect ID skills.
Birding Advice
Ask Kenn: How Do Birds Keep Themselves Clean?
March 24, 2025 — Staying fresh is a matter of survival in a bird’s life—and a treat for birders to observe.
Bird Questions and Facts
Three watercolor paintings depicting close ups of the wings of a Blue Jay, Northern Flicker, and Northern Cardinal.
A Close-Up Look at the Beauty of Backyard Birds
March 24, 2025 — In her watercolor triptych, Rosalie Haizlett celebrates the vibrant colors and details found in the feathers of common—and commonly overlooked—species.
Arts & Culture
11 Berry-Bearing Native Plants to Keep Birds Full and Happy
March 19, 2025 — From the depths of winter to the dog days of summer, these native bushes, trees, and vines can help support a variety of species across all seasons.
Native Plants
A Vermilion Flycatcher splashes the surface of water with a fish in its beak.
‘Oh, Wow!’—Stunning Photos Offer First Known Proof of Vermilion Flycatchers Fishing
March 12, 2025 — An Arizona photographer’s images of Vermilion Flycatchers and Black Phoebes catching and eating fish—and one unlucky lizard—provide a rare glimpse into a little-known side of both birds.
Bird Behavior
Three bird-of-paradise specimens appearing to glow green under UV light on a black background.
Birds-of-Paradise Feathers Are More Than Flashy—They Glow
March 07, 2025 — Researchers recently discovered that dozens of species in the flamboyant family are biofluorescent, emitting a gleaming light that could enhance their mating displays.
Bird Science
A chickadee perches on a sunflower extracting a seed with its beak.
How Plant Seeds Reshaped the Lives—and Evolution—of Birds
March 04, 2025 — Plants didn't always use seeds to reproduce, but once they did, early avians were more than happy to indulge in the nutrient-rich morsels, kicking off a symbiotic relationship that persists today.
Books
Old photo of a gull in flight over water.
Remembering "The Bird of the Century," a Half-Century Later
March 03, 2025 — In March of 1975, an extremely rare Ross's Gull was confirmed for the first time in the Lower 48. The sighting and the frenzy that ensued was a watershed moment for a burgeoning birding community.
Birding News