Bird Behavior

What鈥檚 a Northern Cardinal Doing at a Pile of Deer Guts? Chowing Down.
March 02, 2026 — A research project enlisting hunters as partners has revealed that the roll call of birds willing to feast on some organ meat is surprisingly diverse.
Close view of a hawk with avocado bits on its open beak.
Red-shouldered Hawks With a Taste for Avocado Join a Growing List of Fruit-Eating Raptors
February 05, 2026 — Until now the behavior had been undocumented in the species, but recent research has revealed that more birds of prey consume plants than we realized.
Mark Hauber inspects a nest in a tree using a telescopic mirror.
Got Beef With Cowbirds? This Researcher Wants to Change Your Mind
January 15, 2026 — The brood parasites get a bad rap for making other birds raise their young, but study by study, Mark Hauber and his 鈥淐owbird Lab鈥 have revealed a species worthy of respect.
This Roaming Raptor Has Been Surprising U.S. Birders鈥攁nd More Could Be on the Way
January 07, 2026 — Limited to Central and South America until a few short years ago, Yellow-headed Caracaras are turning heads from California to Delaware as their range expands northward.
3 Ways Street-Smart Birds Hacked Human Infrastructure in 2025
December 17, 2025 — Recent studies have uncovered some of the clever ways our avian neighbors are making the most of the urban environment.
An Unexpected Baby Boom Is Bringing Snowy Owls South This Winter
December 16, 2025 — A nonprofit science group has discovered a great deal about the species over the past decade, but the irruption shows that Snowies still have the power to surprise.
A male and female mallard swim next to each other with their heads lowered.
Watch For These Early-Bird Mating Displays This Winter
December 16, 2025 — Not every species waits until spring to start wooing their partners.
An entirely white Common Loon raises its wings, floating on a lake.
鈥極nce-in-a-Lifetime鈥 Photos Capture a Rare White Loon鈥檚 First Summer
November 07, 2025 — Montana photographer Tony Gangemi documented a season in the life of a leucistic Common Loon, from its first days as a 鈥渓ittle cotton ball鈥 up until its first flight.
A large flock of Redpolls flies around a snowy field of dried grasses in heavy falling snow.
Buckle Up, Birders鈥擳his Winter Is Looking Finchy
October 22, 2025 — Good numbers of siskins, grosbeaks, and other favorites could be headed your way, according to the latest edition of the annual Winter Finch Forecast.
Shorebird feeding in mud
鈥淪andpipers on the Silvery Stikine鈥
October 15, 2025 — Behind the Scenes with the SeaBank Chronicles, where 探花精选 Alaska and the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust take you for a ride on the Stikine River Delta.