Field Notes

Elephant BirdAepyornis maximusIn 1658, the French governor of Madagascar described a giant birddwelling in the island's remote reaches. Over ten feet tall,the bird weighed a thousand pounds and laid the biggest egg on record:over a foot long and equal in volume to seven ostrich eggs,180 chicken... read more »

There are more than 1400 shows archived on the BirdNote website. But how do you begin to find the one you're looking for? You can use the search bar, top right, to find shows about your favorite bird —perhaps it's the Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Bald Eagle, or Swainson's Thrush.And there's... read more »

Early in December, photographer Gregg Thompson made a trip to Edison, a small town on the Samish Flats, north of Seattle. He was looking for a Merlin. And he found it, fairly low in a tree next to the road.  Gregg said, “There are three or four coniferous trees in the center of town where... read more »

Regular photo contributor, Gregg Thompson, visited Mount Rainier in Washington State, hoping to find White-tailed Ptarmigan in their pure-white winter plumage. He didn't find any. Actually, the first bird he saw –- and only when he returned to the parking lot -- was this Common Raven. But the... read more »