Explore Birds

A Bald Eagle soars above a seascape, a ray of sunlight coming through the clouds.
With a New Anthology and National Parks Tour, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Lim贸n Declares 鈥淣ature Is Who We Are鈥
April 29, 2024 — In 50 poems and plenty of birds, the collection, titled 鈥淵ou Are Here,鈥 aims to expand expectations of what a nature poem can be.
Books
Woodcocks Don鈥檛 Let Migration Mess With Their Sex Lives
April 24, 2024 — A new study finds the first proof that timberdoodles mate as they migrate, an extremely rare behavior known as itinerant breeding.
Bird Science
A calling loon is silhouetted against rippling water reflecting the golden light of sunset.
How the Common Loon's Eerie Call Took Over Pop Music
April 23, 2024 — The beloved bird has wailed its way through decades of hits. It鈥檚 time we give the species its royalties.
Arts & Culture
A flock of pigeons eating seeds on a sidewalk.
Cities Are Testing Birth Control to Solve Pigeon Problems
April 16, 2024 — Booming populations of these familiar urban birds are causing complaints. Can contraception help?
Bird Science
Illustration of people watching birds next to a lake.
A New Birding Club Wants to Help COVID Long-Haulers Safely Enjoy Nature Together
April 12, 2024 — Ed Yong, an award-winning science journalist who widely covered the pandemic, recently launched The Spoonbill Club to provide community鈥攁nd an accessible hobby鈥攆or folks with long COVID.
Birding News
A flock of birds flies across a red sky with a crescent-shaped sun.
A Total Solar Eclipse Is Coming. How Will Birds and Other Wildlife React?
March 15, 2024 — When the moon covers the sun, animals get weird. April鈥檚 eclipse gives scientists鈥攁nd you鈥攁 chance to learn more about their responses. Here's how and where you can take part.
Bird Behavior
A Bald Eagle sits in a nest on the ground looking at the camera.
Why Do Birds Incubate Rocks?
March 14, 2024 — From stones to bones and other random objects, birds have been found to incubate seemingly anything that looks like an egg. But maybe that鈥檚 also the point?
Bird Questions and Facts
Close-up portrait of a hawk with bright, all-white feathers with its mouth open and tongue sticking out.
This White Red-tailed Hawk Isn't Just Gorgeous鈥擨t's Also a Rare Scientific Opportunity
March 12, 2024 — The stunning raptor was recently trapped in Oklahoma by an awestruck group of researchers, who affixed the bird with a GPS transmitter for further study.
Bird Feathers and Colors
A Black-throated Blue Warbler stands on a branch looking at the camera in front of an out-of-focus green background.
As Spring Shifts Earlier, Many Migrating Birds Are Struggling to Keep Up
March 07, 2024 — With the climate warming, leaves and blooms are popping out ahead of schedule. A wide-ranging new study shows why this trend is troubling for a variety of bird species.
Bird Migration
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鈥檙e anything but boring.
Bird Questions and Facts