Topics Explore Birds

About Birds

A Northern Harrier flies in the air.
The Harrier and the Owl
October 26, 2020 — A poetic observation of interesting raptor behavior near ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½'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
These Masters of the Sky Can Fly for Hours (or Days) While Barely Flapping
September 04, 2020 — Seven extraordinary examples of birds that figured out how to let the wind do the work for them.
Bird Science
Peregrine Falcons Finally Return to Nest at Their Most Famous U.S. Eyrie
September 03, 2020 — After a 74-year absence, this summer a pair of Peregrines raised three chicks at New York's Taughannock Gorge—a hallowed destination for birders and the site of the falcon's first reintroduction attempt.
Bird News
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
Rufous Hummingbird.
The Sugar Dome
May 07, 2020 — Watch Rufous and Broad-tailed hummingbirds face off for dominance!
ROCKIES Bird Behavior