It’s that time of the year where we change our wardrobes from summer to winter. Maybe get rid of a few items we haven’t worn for a while. We know winter is coming because we use calendars -  birds “feel it” in their bodies. When cold weather arrives, we simply dress more warmly. But for the wild life, a downy jacket is something they have to grow for themselves! It’s incredible how birds sense the changing of the seasons. With inner mechanisms and systems like alarm clocks, birds intuitively know: time to fly south. How do pigeons fly home from thousands of miles away?  Birds ..read more

I’m sure the cranberry sauce is going to be delicious and the turkey just right. How can it not be? Ahhh, it’s that time of year where the streets are lit up for the holidays, it’s just cold enough to enjoy a hot pumpkin spice latte and our eyes are feasting on the last of the red and golden leaves, before they fall from their branches and hand the season over to winter. But there are a few extra guests that want in on this super extravaganza: your local birds! As temperatures fall, there is less food for the birds to peck on. There are less insects and other protein sources, like there are i ..read more

  There’s a nasty rumor going around that bird-feeders can spread diseases and therefore are best avoided all together. Well, it can be partly true, at least the disease part. But we need to shed light on the fact that bird-feeding can be safe and that we don’t have to give up on such a fulfilling pastime that keeps millions of Americans happy and millions of birds cheerful. Let’s break it down to a few easy steps that we can take to avoid trouble at the feeder: EASY TIPS TO KEEP YOUR FEEDER CLEAN AND HEALTHY!  IMMEDIATE CLEANLINESS Every time you refill your feeders, give them a g ..read more

  Bird-feeding has become the second biggest hobby in the United States, #1 being golf. Both hobbies take us into the outdoors where we have yearned to be ever since the urbanisation of our environment.  There is nothing like seeing a brightly coloured bird pecking at our window bird-feeder to return us to the feel of nature. Bird feeding can be done year-round, all over the world. So naturally, many myths have grown up around it, some of which are bad for our feathered friends’ feeding habits and can even harm them.  Let’s debunk a few myths and find out the true fac ..read more

Photo credit: www.tucsonaudubon.org   As bird-lovers, we know that these are the most beautiful creatures in the world  and also - the most vulnerable. We know how easily they can become prey as well as fierce attackers, fighting for breeding and roosting territory.  But there are some battles they cannot win. Human activity, deforestation and other world-changing conditions have made a huge impact on our feathery friends and many are now on the brink of extinction. This is one reason to put bird feeders on our windows or in our gardens - so that we can do our bit and help ..read more

Common name: The Bobolink  Scientific name: Dolichonyx Oryzivorus   Bob-o'-link, bob-o'-link, Spink, spank, spink; Snug and safe is that nest of ours, Hidden among the summer flowers; Chee, chee, chee... William Cullen Bryant   Hopping and chee-chee’ing around our grasslands, bobolinks are the only member of the genus Dolichonyx. Unfortunately for us they are in decline.  This is truly saddening as no other North American songbird has such a beautiful white back and black underparts, or such sweet sounds as the melodious male chirp - not to mention the unique blonde w ..read more

  We love our seed-munchers in all their forms and shapes. It is so cute to see the way they strut on our lawns, the funny, suspicious look they give us when perched on our bird-feeders or the branch of a tree. This gives us so much joy.  To to celebrate the joy of cuteness, we’ve compiled 10 of the cutest birds in the world! Some you will recognize from your very own gardens and parks and some from other continents entirely. Birds so cute and unique that you may very well get the travel-bug that will make you spread your own wings and fly over to see them up close for yourself!&nbs ..read more

Common Name: American Kestrel Scientific Name: Falco sparverius Other names: Sparrow hawk, Killy hawk, Mouser. Wind hover. Let’s talk about falcons. There are about 40 types of this genus (Falco) which are widely distributed in all the continents, except for Antarctica and high mountain ranges. Among these beauties is the Peregrine falcon, the fastest member of the animal kingdom, which can reach 200 mph during hunting dives! The enchanting Kestrel Falcon is the tiniest falcon in North America, about the size of a blue jay or a mourning dove, and the most colorful of all raptors!  ..read more

COMMON NAME: Scarlet Tanager SCIENTIFIC NAME: Piranga olivacea We all light up when we see northern cardinals visit our windows  - it lifts the heart to see them!  But there is another visitor, not as frequent, who brings with him the same magic when he appears - the Scarlet Tanager. They look as though they should be flitting around the tropics or in a rainforest, which is where they spend their winters, but luckily for us, they like to breed in our neck of the woods! The Scarlet Tanager is one of the 5 species found in North America: there are also summer, western, hepatic and fl ..read more

Common name: Killdeer Scientific name: Charadrius vociferus Nicknames: Chattering Plover, Noisy Plover. The Killdeer is the largest and best known of the "ringed" plovers. Although classified as a shore bird, these conspicuous, graceful birds are often found in areas far from water in open habitats across most of North America - from golf courses to lawns and parking lots.  Its scientific name Vociferus is the Latin word for shouting or clamorous, as this flyer has a very loud shrill cry. Charabrius is from the group of plovers which are wading birds, i.e shore birds. And don’t worry, t ..read more