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On our latest show (#1,103 Aug. 16): An audio postcard from Alaska, an amazing species from Australia, and a Mystery Bird from Arizona. Hear it here.
Studying night migration
Here's info on the study of nighttime migration flight calls by Indiana Audubon that Ray and his guest discussed on our latest show (#1103, August 16). If you're participating, let us know! Using that automatic sound recorder looks like fun. (8/18)
Birds vs. rattlesnakes
How much of a bird's behavior towards predators is instinctive and how much is learned? This study at Oregon State University is a first step towards solving this puzzle. (8/20)
A beach-cleaning robot in Canada
It looks like a giant sifter on wheels...which it is! An electric, remote-controlled robot is cleaning up plastic trash on beaches in the Great Lakes region. Watch the video. "BeBot" strikes us as rather noisy, but it certainly is efficient, cleaning up (sifting) 3000 square meters of beach per hour -- over 32,000 square feet. We're impressed. (8/10)
Dodo skulls shatter the cliché of the bird's stupidity, revealing new clues about its behavior before extinction
Brain imprints on Dodo skulls suggest that the flightless bird was exceptionally active and had a great sense of smell. (8/7)
Why is August quiet?
Are you noticing that it's quieter where you are? Fewer birds are making noise? You're not imagining this change; there's a reason. Here's The Farmer's Almanac on what's going on and why. (8/18)
Live from North Carolina
This week's webcam is streaming from the Appalachians in North Carolina (Eastern time). When we tuned in late morning, we saw a Downy Woodpecker, a Tufted Titmouse, and a White-breasted Nuthatch. Bonus: We got to see the molting titmouse up close. (8/19)
Register now for September 18-20
There's still time to register for the Urban Birding Festival in Chicago, IL. It'll be the third year for this wonderful festival which, in addition to lots of bird-related options, provides lots of access to activities for non-birding partners of birders. (8/13)
Talking eggs
Yes, eggs can "talk"! But what do they talk about? Read on for a great summary of studies on how chicks inside eggs communicate, and why. (8/11)
Our sponsors and partners:
Bird vocalizations provided by The Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Website photography by Shawn Carey/Migration Productions.