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Cornell Lab eNews

February 22, 2026

Click or tap to watch video close-ups of nuthatches and woodpeckers

Woodpecker or Nuthatch: Whose Climbing Style Do You Prefer?

Power or agility? Straight line or roundabout? Woodpeckers and nuthatches both climb trees for a living, and each has its own method. In this episode of Backyard Birds Revealed, filmmakers Tim and Russell Laman mount special cameras along tree trunks to get a close-up look at these birds in action, revealing details that often get overlooked. Watch now!

Thanks to Wild Birds Unlimited for making Backyard Birds Revealed possible.

Click or tap to see where to find big flocks of waterfowl in the winter

Snow Geese by Alex Marine / Macaulay Library.

Here's How to Find Massive Flocks of Waterfowl Before Winter Is Over

Not much matches the excitement of seeing thousands, hundreds of thousands, or occasioanlly millions of birds coming together at a single site. Thanks to eBird, and eBirders, it's easier than ever to see where the all-time high counts have happened, and where those congregations can be found right now. See some our top waterfowl spots across North America, plus tips on finding ones near you.

Click or tap to watch the highlight of new nest sprucing-up by the Red-tailed Hawks

Signs of Nesting on the Cornell Hawks Cam!

This year's nest is officially under construction! Watch Big Red and Arthur add the first sticks to their nest site in preparation for the 2026 breeding season. If all goes well, the pair will spend the next month refurbishing the nest before Big Red lays her first egg in mid- to late March. Watch the highlight!

Click or tap to reveal the mystery bird ID

Mystery bird by Rachel Leggett / Macaulay Library.

What Bird Is This?

This aptly named duck is one of the most spectacular species of waterfowl in North America, not only for the male’s striking plumage but for the dramatic landscapes that the duck calls home. They breed mainly along whitewater rivers and winter on rocky windswept coasts. Their lifestyle is rough on their bodies, and they sometimes endure broken bones from a lifetime of being tossed around in the rough water. Do you know the name of the species?

Bird News and Resources

A Record-Breaking GBBC Is in the Books! More than 1 million people saw more than 8,000 species around the world last weekend. Check out the record-breaking stats, amazing bird photos, birds and happy people from this year's Great Backyard Bird Count.

Thinking About Putting up a Nest Box? Birds need time to discover an available box, so it’s best to place them before spring starts. We’ve got free plans to help you get started.

Be a Part of Positive Change! Calling all land trusts and conservation orgs: Apply for small grants ($10K to $25K) to fund projects that help birds. The deadline for proposals is March 1. Apply now.

Calling All K-12 Teachers: Are you interested in going to the Peruvian Amazon? The Morpho Institute is offering fellowships to teachers interested in participating in bird research. Deadline: March 1. Learn more and apply here.

Attend a Bird Festival: Festivals are a great way to enjoy birds and meet like-minded people. See our bird festival directory.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds.

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