Drumming is to woodpeckers as song is to songbirds—and a rapid rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat! ringing out through the woods is a sure sign of spring. Just like learning to identify wrens and warblers by their melodies, with a little practice you can identify some woodpeckers by the speed, cadence, and rhythm of their drumming.
Tree Swallow by Matt Felperin / Macaulay Library.
Five Ways to Notice Nests Near You
This time of year, it pays to pay attention to what birds are doing—if you do, you might be treated to an "Aha!" moment that lets you know a bundle of eggs or nestlings is coming soon to a tucked-away spot near you. Here are our top five tips for tuning in to nesting behavior this spring.
Northern Flicker by Michael Quinton.
The Hole Story: An Exploration of Excavation
When woodpeckers dig out temporary homes for themselves in decaying trees, they're helping house future generations of forest creatures—from mice to mergansers. Researchers are using the concept of "nest webs" to understand how these valuable cavities pass from one owner to the next.
Great Crested Flycatcher by
Barbara Taylor / Macaulay Library.
Birds Use Snakeskins to Protect Nests
People have long wondered why some birds put discarded snakeskin into their nests—almost like a practical joker who hides a rubber snake in someone's bed for a laugh. It turns out the birds may have a very practical reason for their curious interior design choices.. Read about the new research.
This photo of a handsome, round soccer ball of a bird with distinctive plumes won the 2025 Wild Bird Unlimited BirdSpotter Contest. Its loud call is a common sound of brushy areas in California and the Northwest. Look for large groups of them scrambling from place to place, or flocking to seeds dropped under bird feeders. Do you recognize the species?
Bird News and Resources
WATCH
A Promising Start to the Red-tailed Hawk Nest: As of Wednesday, Big Red and Arthur were tending to three eggs—an encouraging sign to kick off the 14th season of the Red-tailed Hawk cam. Watch their progress live!
Learn Gulls with Bird Academy: Sample a lesson from the upcoming online course—Be a Better Birder: Gull Identification, now available for preorder at 30% off. Also take 20-50% off on several spring-themed courses.
Nesting Season Is Ramping Up! Brush up on the NestWatch Code of Conduct and take a quiz, become a certified NestWatcher, and report nearby nests for science this spring and summer.
WEBINAR
From Egg to Adult: Exploring the Nesting Cycle April 16, 2025, at 7:00 PM ET
Teachers! Join our K-12 Education and NestWatch teams for a free participatory-science webinar demonstrating hands-on activities with real nesting data. Register here.
Attend a Bird Festival: Festivals are a great way to enjoy birds and meet like-minded people. See our bird festival directory.
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