There are probably over a hundred blogs on birds on the web. Some are broad in concept like mine, Ornithology.com , and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Others are limited to particular geographical areas and some have conservation goals as priorities. There are several whose goal is really advertisement. My blog has its own niche. …
I was reminded by a flock of Sandhill Cranes flying overhead that it’s that time of year again – migration. As the days lengthen as winter wanes, birds in northern climes get restless and finally uproot themselves from their southerly wintering areas. It’s always a sight to ducks and geese and cranes flying in their …
I’ll get right to the hatching part. Maybe in a later blog I can talk about how the egg is formed. After egg-laying begins (most birds lay more than one in a clutch), incubation begins. It may begin right after the first egg is laid or only after all of them are laid. Incubation means …
Bluebirds have become associated with happiness partly because of Native American legends but mostly because of the song “Bluebird of Happiness” written in 1934. And you may be familiar with the line “Mr. Bluebird on my shoulder”, from “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.” There are three species of bluebirds in North America: the Western and Eastern, very similar birds, …
Recent surveys indicate that only about 40% of American adults believe that evolution is a scientific fact. According to the latest survey of the PEW Research Center,“Roughly six-in-ten U.S. adults (62%) say humans have evolved over time, according to data from Pew Research Center’s ” only a little more than half of them (33% of all …
Birds have been banded since ancient times. In one recorded instance a besieged Roman garrison was sent a swallow with three threads around its toes, indicating that help would arrive in three days. By the late 16th century many species of birds were being tagged in some way. Some Chinese put silver tablets on their …
The Red-tailed Hawk (and the Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned) were once called “Chicken Hawks” and the Red-shouldered the “Hen Hawk.” Undoubtedly they took a few chickens, but only rarely. Like most stories of wild predators taking domestic animals, their impact is usually exaggerated. There’s one story about a farmer letting loose a flock of 50 Cornish …
OK, first thing, let me get this off my chest. It’s CANADA Geese, not CANADIAN Geese. I hear that misnomer a lot and it bothers me almost as much as hearing people say “birds and animals.” Depending on the source there are six to eleven species of Canada Goose, the smallest version having been promoted …
All individual organisms that scientists have named have scientific names, given by international committees by agreement. Scientific names, Latin or Greek based, are useful internationally. Common names can be confusing across different languages. But it gets even more complex. What is a species? Scientists argue this concept back and forth and often one or a …
From the National Audubon Society, but edited for this blog: From December 14 through January 5 thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in a birding adventure. For over one hundred years, families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists have gone out on an annual mission. Each …
