http://www.birdnote.org/birdnotepodcast.cfmBirdNote Podcast RSS Feeden-ushttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnotepodcast.cfmhttp://www.birdnote.org/img/podcast_image.jpgTune In to Nature.orgnoTune In to Nature.orginfo@birdnote.orghttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=612In winter, a foraging flock might include several species of birds: chickadees, kinglets, and even a Downy Woodpecker. Many bird species eat alone, so you might wonder why these birds have chosen to dine together. Different species flocking together to find food enhances the success of all. One species assists the foraging of others. Find out how to attract birds to your back yard at Cornell's AllAboutBirds. Join your local Audubon chapter and learn how to help save habitat for birds. Tune In to Nature.orgnoSat, 04 Feb 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2177In some years, great numbers of Snowy Owls come south from the Arctic to reside in fields, farmlands, and shorelines. In the past, it was believed that population crashes of lemmings on the breeding grounds caused many owls to come south. But their movements are more complex and unpredictable than that. The years that we see many Snowy Owls in the south actually seem to be the result of an abundance of lemmings on the breeding grounds and thus, throngs of hungry young owls. Watch a video by Gerrit Vyn. Tune In to Nature.orgnoFri, 03 Feb 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2178Ecuador is home to 1600 species of birds – twice the number in all of North America. Artist and naturalist Paul Greenfield, a long-time resident of Ecuador, has helped create conservation reserves, large and small. He feels that smaller reserves may have the best chance for long-term success. Small reserves, such as the Mindo Cloud Forest Reserve – where the photo of this Toucan Barbet was taken -- encourage local communities to play a full role in preserving and restoring habitat, and enable farming to coexist with conservation. Ecotourism is win-win! Tune In to Nature.orgnoThu, 02 Feb 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2179Elegant Black Terns breed in summer on secluded wetlands across the northern states and Canada. Because of major losses of wetlands in their breeding range –- especially in Canada’s prairie provinces –- Black Tern numbers have dropped dramatically since the 1960s. The future of this beautiful bird depends on protecting and restoring high-quality wetlands. Recent research shows that artificial nest platforms can enhance the terns’ breeding success. Learn more. Tune In to Nature.orgnoWed, 01 Feb 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=989Both the Willow Ptarmigan and these White-tailed Ptarmigan, feathered mostly brown in summer, are utterly transfigured by an autumn molt. As snow begins to mantle their world, both species, now all white, blend in superbly. But the ptarmigan pulls another trick. It adds dense white feathering on both the tops and bottoms of its feet. And its claws grow longer. The bird grows snowshoes! It's not too late to order a BirdNote 2012 calendar, with photographs by Paul Bannick. Get yours today! Tune In to Nature.orgnoTue, 31 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2166Flapping with deep, slow wing-motion, a Short-eared Owl appears almost to float above the ground. This owl has an extensive world range, including North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Still, it’s declining, due to development, agriculture, and overgrazing. American Bird Conservancy and Partners in Flight consider this bird at-risk. But the federal Conservation and Wetland Reserve Programs are showing promise for Short-eared Owls, by preserving large blocks of habitat. Let your elected representatives know that you support these programs! Tune In to Nature.orgnoMon, 30 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=1850Patrick Comins, Director of Bird Conservation for Audubon Connecticut, explains what being a conservationist means to him. "If you've ever seen a Scarlet Tanager you don't even have to describe how wonderful they are. It's this variety and diversity of birds that really got me interested. While a lot of birds may still be common, if we're not smart about our planning, we may be losing some of these." Learn more about Patrick and his campaign to save habitat on Long Island Sound. Tune In to Nature.orgnoSun, 29 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=1852In winter, the Cerulean Warbler forages in tree-tops of the Andes Mountains. In May, at the other end of a 2,500-mile migration, the very same bird sings from the tree-tops in the Appalachian Mountains. The Cerulean Warbler is one of the most threatened birds in the US. American Bird Conservancy is working to save this bird and its two homes. ABC presents a roadmap for conserving birds in the Americas in their book, The American Bird Conservancy Guide to Bird Conservation. Learn more. Choosing shade-grown coffee can help save the Cerulean Warbler. Find out how at ABCBirds.org. Tune In to Nature.orgnoSat, 28 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2165This January marks the 75th anniversary of Ducks Unlimited. Ducks Unlimited – or DU – has grown to become, by many measures, the most effective wetland conservation organization in the world. To date, they’ve conserved more than 12 million acres of waterfowl and wildlife habitat in North America. So for hunter and birder alike, for all who care about ducks, geese, swans – and shorebirds, rails and many others – DU plays a vital role. BirdNote salutes Ducks Unlimited on 75 years of achievement. You can celebrate them, too. Buy a Duck Stamp! Tune In to Nature.orgnoFri, 27 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=530A pint-sized Northern Pygmy-Owl, not much bigger than a pine cone, hoots from a tree-top on a winter morning. Before long, this diurnal owl – a determined predator of small birds and mammals – will attract a mob of a dozen or more small birds. Mobbing may be a collective response to danger. But it’s not certain if the “mobbers” hope to drive away the predator, or simply draw attention to the threat. Sign up for the BirdNote podcast! Tune In to Nature.orgnoThu, 26 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2164It’s late winter at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island, Florida. Many birds have finished nesting, and young birds are everywhere. This morning, wind and tide have conspired to strand schools of fish in backwater ditches. And the birds are taking advantage of it. It’s a feeding frenzy! [Seen in the *Enlarged* version of the photo: White Ibises, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and American White Pelican] Thanks to the National Wildlife Refuge System, these birds – and many others – can thrive in protected habitats. Tune In to Nature.orgnoWed, 25 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=1015The bill and legs of Arctic Terns are shorter than those of Common Terns. Because Arctic Terns breed in the Arctic and winter in the Antarctic, they are subject to much colder weather than are Common Terns. Birds' bills and legs lose heat, because they're not covered by feathers. Birds in cold climates have short bills and legs, lessening their exposure. Note the difference between the bill and legs of the Arctic Tern on the bottom here and those of the Common Tern on the top. Tell a friend about the BirdNote podcast! Tune In to Nature.orgnoTue, 24 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=525One bird of prey may steal another’s meal, a behavior that biologists call piracy, or kleptoparasitism. The prey may change hands several times, perhaps from Northern Harrier to Peregrine Falcon to Bald Eagle. The Peregrine — like this one — may steal a meal, or have its meal stolen, or both! Visit your local Audubon chapter, to see where you might watch raptors this winter. Begin here. Tune In to Nature.orgnoMon, 23 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=991With the strong, direct flight of a falcon, a tropicbird can catch a flying fish on the wing, or plunge like an arrow into the sea and - with its serrated bill - capture a squid. Three species of tropicbirds range through most of the tropical latitudes of the world’s oceans, and have done so for 60 million years. These are the Red-tailed Tropicbird, (like this one), the White-tailed Tropicbird, and the Red-billed Tropicbird. Learn more. Start the new year on a high note with a gift to BirdNote. Tune In to Nature.orgnoSun, 22 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=542High in a leafless cottonwood, a female Great Horned Owl incubates two eggs. As light snow falls on her back, her mate roosts nearby. Since December, this pair has been hooting back and forth regularly at night. Great Horned Owls nest in winter, because the owlets, which hatch after a month of incubation, must remain near their parents a long time compared to many other birds -- right through summer and into early fall. Become a BirdNote benefactor! Begin here. Tune In to Nature.orgnoSat, 21 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2163Where have the birds of summer gone? The Swainson’s Thrush is wintering in Central or South America, maybe as far south as Bolivia. Warbling Vireos are now spread through much of Central America, while Black-headed Grosbeaks have migrated to Mexico. This Orange-crowned Warbler also makes Mexico its winter home, as do some American Robins. January finds the Willow Flycatcher tucked away in Costa Rica or Panama. As winter turns to spring, these singers will begin to fly north, where they will once again grace us with their rich dawn chorus. Tune In to Nature.orgnoFri, 20 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=529In the Amazon, a cacophony of birdcalls surrounds you. One piercing, cheerful yelp catches your ear. Could this be the same sound you remember from a Saturday morning in your childhood? The Cuvier's Toucan could have been the inspiration for Toucan Sam, the "spokesbird" for Froot Loops cereal. Its huge bill is surprisingly light, and enables the bird to pluck fruit -- or other birds' nests! -- hanging from small, outer branches. That bill may scare off potential predators. And it may also help regulate the bird's temperature. Tune In to Nature.orgnoThu, 19 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2162When it comes to saving endangered species, habitat is nearly always critical. For this Greater Sage-Grouse, a bird now endangered in parts of its range, it comes down to preserving stands of healthy sagebrush. And essential to saving sage habitat is the cooperation of landowners. Recently, Rob Wesselman and his family placed 1100 acres of their land – home to Greater Sage-Grouse – into a federal conservation program called State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement, or SAFE. Hats off to the Wesselmans and others who manage their land for wildlife conservation! Learn more at USDA.gov. Tune In to Nature.orgnoWed, 18 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=993Named for its rhythmic calls, the Black-legged Kittiwake as it is known in North America - it's also known as the Common Kittiwake - is a dapper, oceanic gull. As described by Roger Tory Peterson, the tips of its pale gray wings “are cut straight across, as if they had been dipped in ink.” Unlike many gulls, kittiwakes spend most of the year at sea and are seldom seen inland. Watch a video of kittiwakes nesting at Shoup Glacier in Alaska. Search for a show. Sign up for the podcast. Tune In to Nature.orgnoTue, 17 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PSThttp://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=2161Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 2012 - Paul McCartney and the rest of the Beatles most certainly grew up hearing Eurasian Blackbirds. Their song is beautiful, so it's no wonder the Beatles chose to weave it into one of their songs. But McCartney wasn't singing about the bird. He was singing about the racial strife in the American South in the 1960s. As he said later, "This was really a song from me to a black woman, experiencing these problems in the States: 'keep your faith; there is hope.'" Does the Eurasian Blackbird really sing in the dead of night? Generally not. Still … what a beautiful, hopeful song. Tune In to Nature.orgnoMon, 16 Jan 2012 00:02:00 PST