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Following the Honeyguide

Thu, Dec 3 Listen

TheGreater Honeyguide’sdemanding call is not aimed at a member of its own species.Instead, the birdguides people in search of honey through the forest,directly to bee hives. The bird flies to a colony of bees living in a hollow tree. The human follower exposes the hive with an ax and takes much of the honeycomb. Then the honeyguide moves in to feast on bee larvae and beeswax. If you would like to make a gift to BirdNote,begin here.

Birds on a Cold Night

Wed, Dec 2 Listen

As December days shorten, birds spend the long, cold nights in a protected place, sheltered from rain and safe from nighttime predators. Small forest birds, such as nuthatches and creepers, may spend the night huddled together in tree cavities. On cold winter nights, birds fluff up their feathers for insulation, hunker down over their legs and feet, and turn their heads around to poke their beaks under their shoulder feathers. Usher in 2010 with theBirds of BirdNote Calendar.

Geese in V-formation: We Correct an Error

Tue, Dec 1 Listen

In a recent episode, when we described the V-formation of large migrating birds, we made a mistake in calling it “slipstreaming”. An astute listener pointed out that each bird behind the leader is actually taking advantage of the updraft of a corkscrew of air coming off the wingtips of the bird in front. This corkscrew of air is called a tip vortex. Learn more about Canada Geese at Cornell'sAllAboutBirds.

Crows and Chips

Mon, Nov 30 Listen

Crows didn’t get where they are today by being shy or slow. They take advantage of whatever food they find, where and when they find it. Listener Jerry Campbell told his story of one crow making off with three chips. Catch avideoof another clever crow in Japan. Sign up for theBirdNote podcast, and listen to BirdNote any time, night or day.

Hawaiian Honeycreepers

Sun, Nov 29 Listen

DNA tells us the Hawaiian honeycreepers’ closest relatives are birds like our backyard House Finches and goldfinches. Millions of years ago, such finches reached Hawaii, where they evolved into one of the most diversified sets of birds on earth, particularly when it comes to the shape of their bills. The Hawaiian honeycreepers include this scarlet I’iwi, whose long, slender, curved bill probes deep into blossoms. Learn more from theSmithsonian.

Northern Shrike, Butcherbird

Sat, Nov 28 Listen

The Northern Shrike breeds in the tundra and taiga of the north, but migrates south into the lower 48 for the winter. It has a pleasing and rhythmical song, which it sings even in winter. But its song belies a rather bloodthirsty feeding habit.The shrike impales its prey on sharp thorns or barbed wire, where it can pull it apart and consume it. To learn more about this songbird-raptor, visit Cornell's AllAboutBirds.

Giblets and Gizzards

Fri, Nov 27 Listen

On Thanksgiving Day, if you passed the gravy and giblets, you held in your hands the turkey’s heart, liver, and gizzard. What is a gizzard? A bird’s stomach is divided into two parts. The first part is a lot like our stomach. But the second part is the gizzard. Birds that eat seeds have a gizzard with tough, thick, muscular walls. Such birds swallow grit, like sand or gravel, which travels to thegizzard, where it helps grind up the seeds.Sign up for the BirdNoteWeekly Preview.

Audubon�s Wild Turkey

Thu, Nov 26 Listen

In the early 1800s, John James Audubon wrote: “The great size and beauty of theWild Turkey, its value as a delicate and highly prized article of food… render it one of the most interesting of the birds indigenous to the United States of America.” Read Audubon'sdescriptionof how Wild Turkeys, which walk more than they fly, cross a river. Happy Thanksgiving from the BirdNote team!

Eco-birding

Wed, Nov 25 Listen

Hiring a local guidewhen you visit an exoticdestinationcan bea win-win-win situation. Youreceive theservices of a local expert — andmight get to seethisGreen Violet-ear Hummingbird. The guidehas employment. And the birds thrive, because those communities have an economic incentive to protect the birds and their habitats. Sign up for theWeekly Preview, and get photos of the birds featured in the coming week.

The Eagle Eye

Tue, Nov 24 Listen

The eye of an eagle is one of the most sensitive of any animal, and may weigh more than the eagle’s brain. The secret to the exceptional visionlies inits retina. The density of rods and cones within a raptor’s eye may be five times that of a human’s.As the Golden Eagle rides hot-air thermals high into the air, it can spoteven the slightestmovement of its favorite prey, a rabbit, over a mile away.Learn more about this far-seeing raptor atCornell'sAllAboutBirds.

Bufflehead Return

Mon, Nov 23 Listen

This month, theBuffleheadreturns from the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska to winter in our waters. Its nicknames include little black-and-white duck, bumblebee duck, buffalo-headed duck, butterball, and spirit duck.Buffleheads have elaborate courtship displays that they perform throughout the year, except during the post-breeding molt and in the early fall. Bird sounds for BirdNote come from theMacaulay Library of Natural Sounds.

The Royal Ravens

Sun, Nov 22 Listen

The Tower of London has a long and notorious history of murderous political intrigue, dungeons, and famous beheadings. And for more than 300 years, thetower has also been home to a set of royally maintained ravens.Since the time of Charles II, at least sixravens have — by royal decree — made their homein the tower. Theyare given ample food, comfy quarters, and private burials in the moat near Traitor’s Gate. Learn more atHistoric-UK.

Basalt as Shelter

Sat, Nov 21 Listen

As the winter sun sinks over the Coulee Lakes, hundreds ofGray-crowned Rosy-Finchessuddenly appear, an undulating cloud that swarms into the upper levels of the basalt cliffs. The finches nest high in the mountains in summer, and roam the countryside in large flocks in winter. Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches roost for the night in a colony of abandoned swallow nests on basalt cliffs.Watch a video of a Gray-crowned Rosy-Finchforaging.

Hunters' Names for Ducks

Fri, Nov 20 Listen

Hunters have nicknames for waterfowl, names that capture the distinctive sound and sight of these birds, such as “Whistler” for the sibilance of the goldeneye’s wings in flight. “Spoonbill” is the nickname for thisNorthern Shoveler—easy to see why! If you know why the Northern Pintail is called a “Sprig,” e-mail info@BirdNote.org. Many birdsounds for BirdNote come from theMacaulay Library of Natural Sounds.

The Return of the Snowbird

Thu, Nov 19 Listen

Although you may seeDark-eyed Juncosin the summer, come fall many more - those that have been nesting in the mountains or farther north - arrive to spend the winter. These juncos often visit birdfeeders for winter feasting. Dark-eyed Juncos forage on the ground. The flash of white tail-feathers when one is alarmed alerts othermembers of the flock, and is also part of the courtship display. Order yourBirds of BirdNotecalendar today!

Scaup Disappear

Wed, Nov 18 Listen

Twenty-five years ago, there were twice as manyscaup in North America as there are today. Starting in 1986, non-native zebra mussels spreadrapidly throughout the Great Lakes. And scaup love to eat them.However, zebra musselsand other shellfish accumulate contaminants, including selenium, from refineries and farm fields. And selenium is toxic to wildlife in any more than minute concentrations. Scaups (like thisLesser Scaup)that havehigh levels of selenium may not be able to reproduce.Learn...

Project FeederWatch

Tue, Nov 17 Listen

Project FeederWatch, sponsored by Cornell and National Audubon, is a window on the birds of winter. Through Project FeederWatch, scientists are able to track the movements of birds - including thisPine Siskin - and understand trends in population and distribution. Participate by counting birds at your own feeder.The count starts in November and lasts through the winter. There is a small fee to participate. Register today.

Fancy Ducks

Mon, Nov 16 Listen

Take a walk around a lake in late November, and you’ll find male ducks in their most brilliant breeding colors.These ducks have lost their nondescript late-summer feathers, known as “eclipse plumage.” Male dabbling ducks - like thisGreen-winged Teal- look their finest in late fall and winter, the season of courtship and pair-bonding. Learn more about ducks at Cornell'sAllAboutBirds. Order yourBirds of BirdNotecalendar today!

The Music of Black Scoters

Sun, Nov 15 Listen

Black Scoters are sea ducks that spend the winter on saltwater bays. They are large, strong ducks and buoyant swimmers with a habit of cocking their tails upward.BlackScotersnest each summer on freshwater tundra ponds. Each fall, they can be found on bays all across the Northern Hemisphere. An unmistakable clue to their presence? – their mysterious, musical wail. Learn more at Cornell'sAllAboutBirds. Buy your 2010Birds of BirdNote calendar today!

The Douglas Squirrel

Sat, Nov 14 Listen

TheDouglas squirrelis a pint-sized, chestnut-red nativeresident of forests west of the Cascade rim. They waste no time in telling you—and other squirrels—you’re in their territory, particularly if you’re near their central larder of conifer cones. Named for Scottish explorer and botanist, David Douglas, the Douglas squirrel sounds a bit like a bird sending out an alarm. Watch avideoof a Douglas squirrel chattering. Order yourBirds of BirdNotecalendar today!

When Birds Ruled the Earth

Fri, Nov 13 Listen

A bird known as Titanis walleri made its home in Florida just a few million years ago. Titanis, as its name suggests, was titanic indeed—a flightless predator, ten feet tall, with a massive hooked bill.Titanis and other birds related to it belong to a group some paleontologists call the “terror birds.” They were dominant land predators in South America for tens of millions of years. For more about Titanis walleri, visit theHall of Florida Fossils.

Tom Pincelli, The Birding Priest

Thu, Nov 12 Listen

Father Tom Pincelli is a Catholic priest known to many as "Father Bird." He's a birder and conservationist in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Southern Texas. One of his favorite birds is thisGreen Jay. TheRio Grande Valley Birding Festivalstarts today.Can't make it to Texas?There may bea festival near you.Find outat BirdWatchersDigest.com.

More Eyes and Ears

Wed, Nov 11 Listen

A family of dapperBlack-capped Chickadeescall as they hang upside down, pecking at alder seeds. Awren skulks and buzzes through the underbrush. A petite Downy Woodpecker whinnies near-by. Mixed-species flocks may include a dozen species and more than fifty individuals. More ears and eyes mean better detection of predators. To find your local Audubon chapter and learn more about birds,begin here.

Goldeneyes and Whistling Wings

Tue, Nov 10 Listen

On a still winter afternoon, you may hear Common Goldeneyes flying low across the water. Whistlers, their wings sibilant, make the sound - asErnest Hemingway wrote -of ripping silk. Common Goldeneyes nest in cavities, in northern boreal forests. Learn more at Cornell'sAllAboutBirds. Order yourBirds of BirdNote 2010 calendar today!

Common Redpoll

Mon, Nov 9 Listen

The tinyCommon Redpoll, one of the smallest members of the finch family, weighs only as much as four pennies, yet it survives the cold and darkness of winter in the far North. Most birds depart in autumn to warmer climes. But redpolls feed on birch and alder seeds that are available throughout the winter, no matter how deep the snow. This little bird typically eats 40% of its body weight in seeds every day to keep itself alive.Redpolls are survivors. Here's avideo!

Birds Carry Plants to Hawaii

Sun, Nov 8 Listen

Three-quarters of Hawaii’s native flowering plants probably come from seeds that hitched rides with birds. The bird-borne seeds that sprouted in Hawaii evolved into more than a thousand new species. The most likely seed-carriers were undoubtedlystrong fliers, such as plovers or tropicbirds — like thisRed-tailed Tropicbird— which travel thousands of miles across the Pacific. (Enlarge the photo,to seethe bird'sred tail.)

How the Steller's Jay Got Its Crest

Sat, Nov 7 Listen

The Makahs tell a story about how the bird we know as the Steller’s Jay — the bird the Makahs call Kwish-kwishee— got its crest. The mink, Kwahtie, tried to shoot his mother,the jay, with an arrow but missed. Her crest is ruffled to this day. Learn more about the Steller’s Jay atBirdWeb.org. Order your Birds of Birdnote 2010 calendar today!

Bird Feeders and Whaling Ships

Fri, Nov 6 Listen

In the opening lines of Moby Dick, the narrator, Ishmael, confesses to “a damp, drizzly November in my soul.” One sure way to brighten November’s damp and drizzly mood is to welcome birds into your yard with birdfeeders. Hang suet in a wire cage to attract aNorthern Flickerlike this one. Just add water, and you’re all set. Learnhow to invitebirds to your yard at Cornell'sAllAboutBirds. Sign up for the BirdNotepodcast!

Birds and Dinosaurs

Thu, Nov 5 Listen

What is the connection between the blood-curdling roar of a Tyrannosaurus rex and the gentle song of a robin? A recent bonanza of fossils has intensified debate over how contemporary birds are linked to the extinct dinosaurs. The evidence and theories are complex.Many experts now believe that today’s birds are the surviving dinosaurs, a radical departure from the long-held view that both sprang from much earlier reptilian ancestors.Anchiornis huxleyi is the latest. Learn more atThe Daily...

Former Abundance

Wed, Nov 4 Listen

On a November day in the late 1960s, flying in a light plane along the Mississippi River, the eminent waterfowl biologistFrank Bellrosecame upon a raft of 450,000Lesser Scaupsthat stretched for miles. Protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitats used during all seasons are under way to enable the population of ducks—like these Lesser Scaups—to rebound.Learnmore about the State of the Birds atAudubon.org.

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