Image: The Ultimate Bird Drawing Throwdown Showdown Graphic featuring images of David Sibley and H. Jon Benjamin

Join BirdNote tomorrow, November 30th!

Illustrator David Sibley and actor H. Jon Benjamin will face off in the bird illustration battle of the century during BirdNote's Year-end Celebration and Auction!

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Shows With Contributions by Lucina Melesio

A small red bird with white cheek patch and narrow short brown tail perches on a diagonal branch.

Reinita Roja: La monarca escarlata de México

Las reinitas rojas solo cantan en las mañanas soleadas durante la temporada de anidamiento –así que escucharlas cantar es tan bueno como revisar el pronóstico del tiempo. Pesando menos que una batería triple A, las reinitas rojas son endémicas de México y viven en los bosques húmedos de…
A Harpy Eagle looks directly at the camera. "BirdNote en Español" appears in the upper left corner.

El águila harpía es un cazador gigante y poderoso

El águila arpía pasa toda su vida en los bosques altos y remotos de Centro y Sudamérica, volando de un árbol a otro en busca de comida. Su nombre viene de las arpías de la mitología griega, descritas como mujeres con cuerpo de aves que, a la orden de Zeus, secuestraban a personas de la…
Closeup of a Striped Owl's face as it looks toward the viewer, showing large dark eyes and gray curved beak

The Striped Owl: A Yelling Owl

Striped Owls are known for their diverse vocalizations. Their repertoire includes deep hoots, eerie screeches, and a range of calls that help give an otherworldly ambiance to tropical rainforests from Southern Mexico all the way to Argentina. Despite their eeriness, in many local cultures…
Closeup of a Striped Owl's face as it looks toward the viewer, showing large dark eyes and gray curved beak

El lechuzón orejudo: Un búho gritón

Los búhos gritones son conocidos por sus diversas vocalizaciones. Su repertorio incluye ululeos profundos, algunos chillidos espeluznantes, y una variedad de llamados que contribuyen a crear una atmósfera sobrenatural en los bosques tropicales desde el sur de México hasta Argentina. A…
An Ornate Hawk Eagle looks to its left, showing a sharp curved beak, golden eyes, and mottled black and brown feathers with some raised in a crest on its head.

Ornate Hawk-Eagle: the Elegant Eagle

Ornate Hawk-Eagles stand out from other raptors with their impressive crest that looks like an elegant crown in adults, and a punk hairdo over the white-headed and black-bodied juveniles. These birds are excellent hunters, but they’re also devoted parents. Listen to this episode in Spanish…
An Ornate Hawk Eagle looks to its left, showing a sharp curved beak, golden eyes, and mottled black and brown feathers with some raised in a crest on its head.

Águila crestuda real: el águila elegante

Las águilas elegantes destacan entre otros rapaces por su impresionante cresta, que parece una elegante corona en los adultos, y un peinado punk en las crías, que tienen la cabeza blanca y el cuerpo negro. Estas aves son excelentes cazadoras, pero también son padres dedicados. Listen to…
Two Little Blue Macaws perched on a horizontal wooden bar, showing their blue bodies and wings with lighter heads and black beaks.

The Return of the Extinct Little Blue Macaw

Even if the name Spix's Macaw doesn’t ring a bell, you might recognize this bird. It’s Blu, from Rio, the animated film! Also known as the Little Blue Macaw, the species went extinct in the wild due to hunting for the pet trade, loss of habitat, and invasive species. However, scientists…
A Bumblebee Hummingbird perched on a branch with its beak open. "BirdNote en Español" appears in the top left corner.

El zumbador mexicano: un colibrí que parece abejorro

El Zumbador Mexicano es una de las aves más pequeñas del mundo. Con menos de ocho centímetros de tamaño y pesando menos que la tapa de una botella, se pueden confundir fácilmente con un abejorro cuando pasan zumbando por ahí. A pesar de su pequeño tamaño, defienden ferozmente sus…
A tiny Bumblebee Hummingbird sits on a branch showing its iridescent green wings and head, bright pink feathers on its throat, and its long narrow beak is open.

Bumblebee Hummingbird: The Mexican Buzzer

Mexico's Bumblebee Hummingbird is one of the smallest birds in the world. Less than 3 inches in size and weighing less than a bottlecap, they’re easily confused with a bumblebee as they buzz by. But as tiny as they are, they defend their breeding territories fiercely. Perhaps that’s why…
A pair of small green parrots peer out from an opening in a large nest made of sticks and branches.

Monk Parakeets: Little Green-Blue Invaders

Monk Parakeets, also known as Argentine Parrots, are native to South America but have become popular as pets – thanks in part to their intelligence and ability to mimic human speech. But in some areas, such as Mexico, these birds have become invasive. After being released or escaping, some…