Gordon Orians, a writer and science advisor for BirdNote, reflects on how he developed an appreciation of birds and science during his youth. “I think I always had some sort of attraction to birds, and then I started going out bird watching with my dad,” he says. By the time Gordon was in…

Long ago the tide stayed close to shore. The people went hungry because the clams lay hidden under water. Then Raven had a plan. He put on his cloak and flew along the shore to the house of the old woman who held the tide-line firmly in her hand. Raven fooled her, and she let go of the…

In The Wind Birds: Shorebirds of North America, nature writer and novelist Peter Matthiessen wrote: “The restlessness of shorebirds, their kinship with the distance and swift seasons, the wistful signal of their voices down the long coastlines of the world make them, for me, the most…

Dick Ashford, a hawk expert and former president of Klamath Bird Observatory, says there's more to learning about birds than just identification. A good teacher can welcome you into the field of wonder. You could look at a bird and say, "OK, There is a Red-tailed Hawk. Note the patagial…

Why is birdwatching so rewarding? Bird guide, Harry Fuller, says it's about three things: It's free. You can do it wherever you are. And it's fun! Once you start watching, you really appreciate the beauty, the complexity, and the wonder of what's going on in the world around you. Like…

One of the most remarkable singers on the European continent is the Bluethroat. Often singing while fluttering aloft, Bluethroats mix their own song elements with imitations of just about every bird within hearing distance. They'll even try their luck with crickets, tree frogs, and train…

Why are bluebirds blue? Unlike many other bird colors, blue is not a pigment but a color produced by the structure of the feathers. Tiny air pockets and melanin pigment crystals in each feather scatter blue light and absorb the other wavelengths. The even finer structure of the feather…

More than 1.5 million Eared Grebes, 30% of the North American population, gather at Mono Lake each fall. But as late as the 1990s, the lake was gravely threatened by the diversion of its water to Los Angeles. After years of court battles, Los Angeles, the lake's advocates, and concerned…

Aaron Gyllenhaal is only 16 years old, but he can identify more than 1,000 species of birds! In October 2013, Aaron set a new record, having observed more than 276 species in a single year in Cook County, Illinois. Such an accomplishment requires perseverance. Finding a Lapland Longspur…

In 1908, Theodore Roosevelt established the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, the nation's first for waterfowl. Benefiting today from Roosevelt's foresight are Cinnamon Teal. For them, the refuge is an important breeding area. The female builds her nest near water and conceals it…