Topics Explore Birds

About Birds

What a Songbird Lost at Sea Taught Me About Survival
March 24, 2021 — Aboard a mission to explore the alien life of the deep ocean, a chance encounter with a migratory bird offered a point of connection—one that has felt poignant this past year.  
Essays
Rare Yellow Penguin Bewilders Scientists
March 03, 2021 — After photos of the striking King Penguin went viral in recent weeks, experts have been searching for answers.
Bird Feathers and Colors
10 Fun Facts About the Barred Owl
February 12, 2021 — Maniacal laughter. Pink wings. Tree climbing. This bird has a lot going on.
Bird Questions and Facts
A Northern Harrier flies in the air.
The Harrier and the Owl
October 26, 2020 — A poetic observation of interesting raptor behavior near ÌÇÐÄlogo'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