Image: The Ultimate Bird Drawing Throwdown Showdown Graphic featuring images of David Sibley and H. Jon Benjamin

Join BirdNote tomorrow, November 30th!

Illustrator David Sibley and actor H. Jon Benjamin will face off in the bird illustration battle of the century during BirdNote's Year-end Celebration and Auction!

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Shows With Contributions by Francesco Veronesi

A small bird with bright green and red iridescent plumage and a long narrow downward-curving black bill sits on a branch.

A Song That Has Survived for Thousands of Years

Sometimes, a species’ song changes over the course of a few decades. But a bird that lives in the mountains of eastern Africa, the Forest Double-collared Sunbird, appears to have kept the same song for at least 500,000 years. That’s the amount of time that two populations of the species…
Grey Fantail showing its black, white and grey plumage and spread out tail

Spark Bird - Glenn Albrecht and the Gray Fantail

Glenn Albrecht grew up in western Australia, where he became enamored with birds.As he grew up, Glenn witnessed how coal mining devastated the Australian countryside — and the birds that lived there. He’s since become an environmental philosopher. He’s developed a new vocabulary to…
A Great Bustard with his grey head and wispy beard contrasting with the brindled reddish brown and black wing, back, and tail feathers. The Great Bustard is standing amidst vivid greenery and his tail is turned up at a sharp angle.

Great Bustard

A Great Bustard shows off to a group of females by inflating special neck sacs – producing what sounds like a massive sneeze followed by a Bronx cheer. He flips his wings almost upside down to reveal bright white undersides, while fanning his tail and long, white throat whiskers. Three…
Pair of Red-crowned Cranes dancing on snowy ground

Red-crowned Cranes Dance on Hokkaido

On a snow-covered field in northern Japan, two majestic Red-crowned Cranes face one another, raise their heads toward the sky, and call in unison. As they call, the pair begins to dance. They bow to one another, then throw their heads over their backs, then bow again. The pair leaps into…
Green Kingfisher seen in profile, perched on a branch

Three Kingfishers

The Belted Kingfisher is the one species of kingfisher found throughout most of North America north of Mexico. You'll have to go to Texas to see two other kingfishers. The quiet call of the Green Kingfisher - like this one - can be heard at wooded streams and ponds. A Ringed Kingfisher…
White-browed Coucal

White-browed Coucal

This White-browed Coucal - also known as Burchell's Coucal - is common in many parts of Africa. "Streaky and sneaky" best describes these birds, because you'll be lucky if you see one. Dew from their dense habitat often dampens their feathers. Then, they hop to the top of a bush and spread…
Bluethroat perched on a rock

Asian Songbirds Nest in Alaska

Several species of migratory songbirds make their homes in Asia during the winter, then journey across the Bering Strait to summer in Alaska and Northwestern Canada. The Bluethroat, Arctic Warbler, and Eastern Yellow Wagtail are among the species that make the trip. Today Alaska and…
Long-billed Curlew

Long-billed Curlew - Singing over the Grassland

The Long-billed Curlew is North America's largest shorebird, seen here in its breeding habitat, a western grassland. They may be the largest, but they're also among the rarest. Their numbers are declining as arid grasslands disappear. Because curlews depend on very different environments…
Red-ruffed Fruitcrow

February Summer in Argentina

In February, winter still holds sway over much of North America. But in Argentina, it’s summer, and birds are in full voice. Argentina’s national bird, the Rufous Hornero, belts out a rapid trill while the Rufous-bellied Thrush sings its lovely song. In the tropical forests of northeastern…