This eNews is a shout-out to all those fabulous feeder birds whose antics help us get through the winter months. Enjoy!
What is this White-breasted Nuthatch saying with its wing-spread display? Image by Deborah Bifulco / Macaulay Library.
When Birds Meet at a Feeder, What Are They Saying to Each Other?
All those jays, juncos, cardinals, and chickadees that crowd your feeder are doing a lot more than feeding. They’re coming and going, watching for openings, gauging threats, and more. Check out this guide and tune in to the secret language of feeder birds.
FeederWatch Sale: Get more enjoyment from wildlife in your yard and help scientists monitor them by joining Project FeederWatch—Join by Feb 28 to participate through April 30 at 50% off.
One of these Blue Jays was quite grumpy—tap the image to see which one.
Watch: Is There Room for Two Jays on This Feeder? Apparently Not
The feeder platform at our Ontario FeederWatch Cam seems plenty big, but one of these Blue Jays has a different opinion. Watch the shifts in body language as these two jays jockey for position.
This mystery bird occurs across Eurasia and in Alaska and adjacent Canada. Image (from Norway) by Éric Francois Roualet / Macaulay Library.
What Bird Is This?
This feeder bird has a familiar look despite a browner color scheme than you might be used to. With 60+ species in the chickadee and titmouse family worldwide, can you name this one? Its common name in the U.S. is tricky—referring to a color that's often hard to see. In Eurasia it goes by a different name that evokes its haunts in the far north. To narrow in on an ID, note this bird's matte brown back and bold white cheeks. Check your answer and learn more.
Northern Cardinals by Laura Keene / Macaulay Library.
How Do Birds Show They're "Interested"?
Courtship takes many forms—it can be a shared morsel, a certain song, a tender moment of preening, a literal shake of the tail feathers—and many things in between. Take a look at these classic courtship displays in familiar birds.
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay by Fernando Ortega / Macaulay Library.
The Future of Birds Is in Our Hands
Donating to the Cornell Lab is one of the best ways you can help protect birds and the vital habitats they rely on. The time to act is now—together, we’ll build a better future for birds and our shared planet.
Thank You for a Great Backyard Bird Count! So far, the world's birders have reported about 300,000 checklists and nearly 8,000 bird species, with data entry open until Mar 1. We'll have a wrap-up report in mid-March; until then, enjoy some of this year's best GBBC photos.
Calling All Teenage Birders! Apply now to be a part of the Young Birders Event in late July, held at the Cornell Lab's headquarters in Ithaca, New York. Applications are due by March 16. Get more details and apply.
Mini-Grants for Educators to Travel to the Amazon: K-12 teachers can receive a $2,000 grant to participate in conservation research in the Peruvian Amazon. Apply by March 1.
Now Accepting Proposals for Land Trust Initiative Small Grants: U.S.-based organizations may apply for $10,000 and $25,000 grants; proposals are due March 1.
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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