Writer Ivan Doig wrote about bird songs, including that of this Western Meadowlark, in his book, Ride with Me, Mariah Montana: "Warbles and trills and solo after solo ... the air was magically busy. None of us spoke while the songs of the birds poured undiluted. I suppose we were afraid…

I’m Emily, a fourth-grader at School in the Woods in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I love the Great Horned Owl’s call. Did you know that Great Horned Owls almost always hunt at night? First, they locate their prey from small movements on the ground. Next, they dive down at the perfect moment…

A pigeon pacing up and down anxiously in Central Park sees his friend hop up on the curb. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for hours!" The new arrival says, "It was such a nice day, I decided to walk!" This laugh track also includes gulls, ducks, and chickens. Email us your own bird…

The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) operates three field research stations in Costa Rica: one in a very wet forest on the Atlantic coastal plain; another near the Pacific Ocean where there’s a long dry season; and the third, near Panama at mid-elevation. Dr. Gordon Orians, a past…

The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) in Costa Rica celebrates its 50th anniversary this month. Dr. Gordon Orians, a past president, reflects on the importance of its work and contributions: “Costa Rica has more species of birds than all of North America put together,” he says. “Many…

Years ago, Yellow-billed Cuckoos like this one were frequent visitors to the Pacific Northwest. They’re one of the few birds that eat tent caterpillars, a species that can wreak havoc on the leaves of trees. It’s a mystery why the cuckoos no longer come. During a tent caterpillar outbreak…

A Bald Eagle that was feeding on the ground suddenly rises up. With two powerful strokes, its massive wings carry it high into a tree, where it lands and looks down. Nature is impersonal, but we feel a connection, don't we? How can we not draw strength from wild creatures we admire?

Photographer and naturalist Paul Bannick tells of a time in the forests of North Carolina, when he heard Northern Flicker parents urging their chicks to fledge. "There was a young, timid, brown head sticking out of that cavity. I could imagine this bird would be nervous about taking its…

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest bird on earth. But its speed couldn't help it avoid the dangers of the pesticide DDT. By the 1970s, the species had declined as much as 80-90% across the US. Since the ban of DDT – and with the help of the Endangered Species Act – well, theyyyy're…