Bird identification
Cooper’s Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk?
Use the head, shoulders and tail to tell these backyard visitors apart.
Garden Birds
How to Build a Brush Pile for Winter Birds
Turn fallen branches into winter shelter for backyard birds. Learn where to put a brush pile, how to stack it, and which birds to watch for.
Bird Discovery
4 Prehistoric Birds That Show How Birds Evolved
Meet four prehistoric birds, from feathered Archaeopteryx to the flightless diver Hesperornis. Learn what their fossils reveal about beaks, wings, and early bird evolution.
Garden Birds
Hawk at Your Bird Feeder? How to Tell Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks Apart
A backyard guide to telling Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks apart, with adult and juvenile photos and practical advice for repeated feeder visits.
Garden Birds
4 Birds to Look for at Winter Berry Bushes
Learn to identify Cedar Waxwings, American Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, and Northern Mockingbirds when they visit fruiting trees and shrubs in winter.
Garden Birds
What Bird Is Climbing Down the Tree? Nuthatches and Brown Creepers
Use the direction of travel, face pattern, and tail to identify White-breasted, Red-breasted, and Brown-headed Nuthatches and the well-camouflaged Brown Creeper.
Garden Birds
Downy vs. Hairy Woodpecker: How to Tell Them Apart at Your Feeder
Start with bill length, then use body shape, tail markings, and a few other clues to tell Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers apart at a backyard feeder.
Garden Birds
4 Winter Sparrows to Look for Under Your Bird Feeder
Look beneath your bird feeder this winter. Learn four field marks that help you tell Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, and Chipping Sparrows apart.
Uncategorized
Why Have Birds Stopped Coming to My Feeder? 6 Things to Check
Why Have Birds Stopped Coming to My Feeder? 6 Things to Check Yesterday, the feeder was busy. Today, the seed is untouched, and the cardinal you usually see at breakfast is nowhere in sight. Before Read more
Garden Birds
Build an Insect-Rich Spring Garden for Birds: 6 Simple Steps
Build a bird-friendly spring garden with regionally appropriate native plants, gentler yard care, water, and a healthy food web.
Garden Birds
Nesting Season in Your Backyard: 7 Ways to Help Without Disturbing Birds
Support nesting birds with respectful observation, safer yard habits, and practical guidance on when to give birds space.
Garden Birds
Make Your Windows Safer for Spring Migrants: 5 Changes You Can Make at Home
A practical five-step guide to making home windows safer for spring migrants with visible exterior treatments and a simple lights-out routine.
Garden Birds
Start a Winter Bird Count: A 10-Minute Backyard Ritual That Builds Your Birding Skills
Build a rewarding winter birding habit with a simple 10-minute backyard observation ritual and optional citizen-science next steps.
