Sometimes all you need to identify a bird is a single feather. Because collecting bird feathers is prohibited in the U.S. to protect birds from poachers, start by taking a photo with a common object for scale. Then you can use online resources like the iNaturalist app or Featherbase…

Para quienes desean probar la observación de aves por primera vez, comenzar puede ser abrumador. ¿Deberías aprender el llamado de cada especie, cada sutil patrón de plumas antes de salir a buscar aves? Aunque es bueno prepararse, existe el riesgo de intimidarse, cuando en realidad el…

The White-throated Sparrow’s melancholy whistle is hauntingly beautiful. But when you hear an adult sparrow performing, just know that the bird wasn’t always an expert singer. In the fall, listen for White-throated Sparrows rehearsing their song. Inexperienced young birds sometimes begin…

University of Puget Sound professor Peter Hodum studies seabird conservation. And he says that if you can’t do something to address a problem, find someone who can.

An online tool called BirdNET uses artificial intelligence to identify bird songs and calls. And Cornell’s well-known Merlin Bird ID app now has sound ID, too. It’s as simple as opening the app, choosing “Sound ID,” and hitting record. It can pick out multiple species in the same recording…

During migration, Snow Geese gather in the tens of thousands. They coordinate their movements, flying in a big, compact flock, which makes it harder for a predator to pick off a single bird. It is truly something to see.

BirdNote shows are made to be accessible for people of all ages, because we want to reach as many folks as we can with the joy of birds. Listeners who donate make our work possible.

A female Wood Thrush will carefully choose each piece of nest-building materials because her eggs will depend on it for warmth and protection. But even the best-made nest couldn’t exist without the support of a sturdy shrub or tree. Much like a bird’s nest, BirdNote depends on having a…

El cambio climático, la destrucción del hábitat y las especies invasoras han pasado factura a las poblaciones de aves. Es una realidad difícil de afrontar, pero no es el final de la historia. Hay muchas cosas que la gente puede hacer para proteger a las aves. Algunas acciones pueden ser…

We hear from lots of people about how much they learn from listening to BirdNote. In this episode, Kim Bradmon and her son Ben share their stories.