Birding

Welcome to the Dark Side: Your Guide to Nocturnal Migration Birding
April 04, 2022 — Here’s everything you need to join a growing DIY community where the action heats up when the sun goes down.
Birding Advice
A group of people, all wearing gold curling horns on their heads, poses for the camera. The author holds a glowing blue cube in her hand.
From House Finches to President Loki: The Surprises You Find When You Get Outside
March 01, 2022 — How one afternoon of birdwatching for Gaby Sotelo turned into a weekend—and perhaps a lifetime—full of birds.
News
The ‘Big Boom Theory’ That Could Help Conserve Common Nighthawks
January 14, 2022 — New research confirms that males’ wing-boom sound marks hard-to-find nesting sites—a boon for efforts to save these mysterious, declining birds.
Bird Science
A small bird with a proportionally large beak, and orangey-red plumage on its face and chest perches on a tree branch and holds a small, pink flower blossom in its beak.
10 Fun Facts about the House Finch
December 21, 2021 — These common and adaptable birds provide a welcome pop of color at feeders from coast to coast. But they weren’t always so ubiquitous.
Bird Questions and Facts
Ask Kenn: What’s Up With Bird Color Morphs and Phases?
November 24, 2021 — In some species, many adults wear different color patterns from others. Kenn Kaufman explains the phenomenon, and the lingo to describe it.
Bird Questions and Facts
Hawkwatchers gather along a ridge at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Pennsylvania, with binoculars, spotting scopes, and seating cushions to take in the raptor migration.
Why You Should Experience a Hawkwatch
October 05, 2021 — Laurie Goodrich has witnessed 35 fall raptor migrations. She shares why hawkwatching still excites her today.
A Red-tailed Hawk silhouette flies high in the sky above a foreground of bare tree branches. The sun glows through the birds' feathers, illuminating its reddish tail.
Look Up! An Introduction to Identifying Raptors in Flight
October 05, 2021 — When hawks and falcons stream across the sky in large numbers, you need a distinct set of birding skills to tell them apart.
News
Ask Kenn: Do Migrating Birds Take the Same Routes in Spring and Fall?
September 30, 2021 — In this month's column, bird expert Kenn Kaufman explains the phenomenon of "loop migration."
Ask Kenn!
Why the Kirtland’s Warbler Should be Michigan’s State Bird
August 26, 2021 — And while we’re at it, we should change its name to Jack Pine Warbler.
Bird News
How Birders Are Boosting Their Yard Lists While They Sleep
June 08, 2021 — Using DIY setups and free software, a growing number of community scientists are eavesdropping on nocturnal migrants flying above.