April 2008 BirdNote Episodes:

Ultraviolet Vision

Most birds possess the ability to see color. But birds can also see in the ultraviolet spectrum. Hummingbirds —like this Violet-crown — likely zero in on certain flowers because their petals strongly reflect in the ultraviolet range. Even migrating birds may use ultraviolet light to navigate on overcast days, because the sun’s ultraviolet rays pass through the cloud cover. Learn more!
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Williamson's Sapsucker

Williamson’s Sapsuckers nest in western mountain forests. The radically different plumages of the male and female so confounded 19th-century naturalists that, for nearly a decade, the birds were thought to be of different species. Sapsuckers are unique among woodpeckers in drilling neat rows of tiny holes—or sapwells—in the trunks of trees. The sap provides food for the sapsuckers and snags small insects that are eaten by hummingbirds and warblers. Learn more about this bird at BirdWeb.

Western Tanager, Coffee Bird

The Western Tanager winters in Mexico and Central America and nests in western North America. Sadly, much of its southern habitat has been lost, because tall, shade-giving trees have been cut down to grow coffee in direct sunlight. But when coffee is grown under a tall canopy of trees, the Western Tanager can enjoy a secure, food-filled winter home, and the coffee tastes better, too. You can help by requesting shade-grown coffee. Learn how—click here.

Songbird Nocturnal Migration

If this week’s bright full moon pulls you outside, pause for a moment and listen. You just might hear migrating songbirds, flying overhead. Most songbirds do migrate at night, when fewer predators are out. The migrants stop, feed, and rest during the day. However, scientists believe that the main reason songbirds migrate at night is that the stars help orient them on their northward journey. Learn more about nocturnal migration at Chipper Woods Bird Observatory.

The Silly Willow Ptarmigan

Some bird songs leave us in admiration of their beauty, some with a sense of wonder at their complexity—and others are downright comical. The male Willow Ptarmigan sounds as if he's laughing, or at least doing his best to make others laugh. The Willow Ptarmigan, a stocky northern relative of grouse and chickens, chuckles his way across the tops of Arctic willows. Chuckle along with the Willow Ptarmigan—click Play MP3 below. Learn more about the Willow Ptarmigan at Cornell's AllAboutBirds.

The Goldfinch Dresses for Spring

Like other songbirds at this time of year, the American Goldfinch has recently molted. Its old, worn-down feathers have fallen out, and new ones have grown in. This same bird could have been visiting your feeder during the winter, but you might not have recognized it in its drab winter camouflage. For more information, visit BirdWeb.org.

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