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Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Scientists now say that since birds evolved from dinosaurs the egg came first. In either case bird eggs are an amazing invention. Bird eggs begin essentially as a food sac or yolk. The fertilized egg cell is part of the yolk and rests on its surface. It […]
The beautiful Aplomado Falcon was once extinct in the United States. Re-introduction efforts in far south Texas are being successful. Aplomado falcons are most often seen in pairs. They do not build their own nests, but use stick nests built by other birds. Pairs work together to find prey and flush it from cover. Aplomados […]
The majestic Golden Eagle is not as wide-spread as the better known Bald Eagle, at least in the United States. It is, however, found in Europe and Asia. The Bent Life History Series has this to say about the Golden Eagle. “This magnificent eagle has long been named the King of Birds, and it well […]
The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts are now in their 118th year. The counts are a fun way to get outside and do a little counting for the birds. All skill levels are invited and there is no cost to participate. Visit the Audubon web site to find a location near you.
Enormous hazards face birds even before they hatch. Although the odds against one individual bird appear staggering, avian species as a whole survive well, except where they are threatened by the man-made effects of environmental destruction or poisoning. The life span of most birds in the wild may be no more than six months to […]
The small Bufflehead is one of my favorite ducks. It also a favorite of others, as witnessed by this description of the Bufflehead as described in the Bent Life History Series. “The propriety of applying the name ” spirit duck” to this sprightly little duck will be appreciated by anyone who has watched it in […]
The Hawkwatch season in the U.S. is starting to wind down. The Corpus Christi, TX hawk watch has recorded 30 raptor species and over 500,000 individuals. The champion hawk watch site is at Veracruz, Mexico, where single day accounts can exceed over 350,000 Broad-winged Hawks in a single day.
The large Brown Jay was once somewhat regular along the lower Rio Grande River in far south Texas. Never common, the rare visitor seems to have retreated back across the Rio Grand and has become a Texas review species. Several years ago I shot this short video of Brown Jays feeding on orange halves and marshmallows […]
As more ducks are starting to show up in their winter homes it is a good time to review duck and waterfowl identification. The Birdzilla.com web site has an excellent section on Waterfowl Identification.
What causes a bird to start migration? The Germans call it “zugunruhe” or migratory restlessness. There are several factors that influence the beginning of migration, including the amount of daylight. How birds find their way is a trickier manner. A researcher at Cornell University used Indigo Buntings to study the migration urge and migration […]