Helmeted Guineafowl are known for moving in frantic flocks, often running and squawking about. In their native range – from Senegal to South Africa – these chicken-sized birds are favored prey of wild cats and Martial Eagles, so they need to be alert! Because they’re also spooked by…

Immature Bald Eagles look so different from mature Bald Eagles that early ornithologists thought they were a different species entirely! Sitting about three feet tall, these majestic birds have wingspans of more than six feet. Stretch your arms as far as you can, and imagine a bird whose…

Not all blackbirds are mostly black. This Baltimore Oriole is orange! The bird's common name is a nod to Sir George Calvert, First Lord of Baltimore, whose coat-of-arms carried a gold and black design. In spring and summer, you may see these orioles in the Midwest and eastern U.S…

Noticeably smaller than Mallards, Blue-winged Teal wings have large patches of powder blue edged in emerald. Blue-winged Teal are long-distance migrants, traveling from nesting areas in Canada and the U.S. to South America for the winter. They feed in shallow water with a preference for…

While many songbirds are accomplished soloists, some of the bird world’s most impressive performances are actually duets.

Golden-cheeked Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Townsend’s Warblers, and Hermit Warblers share similar songs and plumage. Though they all breed in different areas of North America, they can often be found flocking together on wintering grounds in Central America. Genetic studies…

White-tailed Kites are distinctive birds of prey. They only live in a few states in the U.S., but they’re common in grasslands throughout much of Central and South America where they hunt for rodents and small prey. Though White-tailed Kites are globally abundant, they still face threats…

Rock Pigeons are one of the most common urban birds. But why do we never see baby pigeons? Some baby birds — like down-covered ducks, geese, and chickens — leave their nest shortly after hatching and do a lot of growing up while following their parents around. Others, like pigeons, depend…

A chill wind ruffles the feathers of a male Sagebrush Sparrow (formerly known as the Sage Sparrow), as he sings atop a tall sagebrush. It is late February, a few miles from the Columbia River in Central Washington. Sagebrush Sparrows are arriving north from wintering in the Southwestern…

The spider’s web is an intricate piece of precision engineering. Made from large proteins, it’s sticky, stretchy, and tough. So it’s no surprise that many small birds — including this Anna’s Hummingbird — make a point of collecting strands of spider silk to use in nest construction. Spider…