Animals & Science

Putting out bird seed is a great way to attract birds to your yard, providing you with bird-watching opportunities while benefiting the birds. You do not need an expensive bird feeder to attract...

The tropical umbrella bird resembles its name--it has a black umbrella-shaped tuft of feathers arched over the top of its head. The umbrella bird should be drawn boldly, like a comic book drawing,...

Yankee bird feeders are designed and manufactured to save you money on bird seed. A common problem with standard bird feeders is that other animals, such as squirrels, take much of the bird seed....

With the arrival of Spring comes the sound of baby birds in their nests. On occasion a baby bird will fall out of its nest and without proper care the tiny creature will surely die. First try to...

When considering how to attach a nesting box, or bird house as they are commonly referred to, hanging a nesting box or bird house on a tree is often not the best favor you can do for birds. A...

Snakes play an important role in nearly every ecosystem. Aside from keeping the population of pest animals (like rodents) under control, snakes are also a signal that the ecosystem is healthy....

Finches of many color (red, blue, yellow and purple) varieties will be attracted to your home with the right food and water. Soon, you'll experience the pretty singing voice and spectacular...

Parrots are more sensitive to harmful things in the air than people are. When a person decides to keep a pet bird, she needs to know alternative and safer ways in doing everyday things, including...

You can easily make a simple bird call using items found around the house or in the woods. This toy has been around since the 1800s at the latest, and can be used to imitate the call of many...

Though not all parrots are strictly seed eaters, some eat seeds in their diet on a daily basis. Purchasing domestic birdseed is the way most people decide to go but others prefer to make their own.

The American bald eagle is a magnificent bird with a wingspan of up to 7 feet. It eats mostly fish along with small mammals, water fowl and carrion. In 1782, it was adopted as the national emblem...

New Mexico adopted the roadrunner as its state bird on March 16, 1949. Roadrunners are ground-dwelling birds that run up to 15 miles per hour.

More than 400 species of wild birds make their home in Colorado. This number is the offshoot of almost 50 bird families. Bird watching can be enjoyed while hiking or by visiting Colorado's state...

Utah's state bird, the California gull, is a white bird with gray wings and a black tail tipped with white. The lower bill has a red mark with a black spot near the open edge. This is a...

Denali National Park and Preserve--originally established as Mount McKinley National Park in 1917, then extended and renamed in 1980--is home to 39 mammal species, 167 bird species, 10 fish...

Taking care of a baby bird takes a lot of skill and time, although the rewards are great. Birds make wonderful pets, and raising one from a young age is a bonding experience, especially for the...

The hummingbird, among the smallest bird in the world and a native of the Americas, is the only bird that can fly backward. Its name comes from the hum its wings make as they flap 12 to 90 times...

When removing pests such as mice and rats from the home, one method is to use sticky mouse traps. These traps cause the animal to stick the glue, and as they struggle they become covered in sticky...

Bird watching is a popular hobby that spans all parts of the world and all age groups. It is not uncommon to find a young child making a bird-watching notebook, sitting next to her grandmother,...

Bird-watching is an easy hobby and a wonderful way to connect with nature. A good place to start is to create your own bird feeder, which brings the birds to you. Although you can buy bird feeders...

Recipes for making your own bird seed to entice wild birds to your yard can vary greatly, depending on the types of birds you'd like to attract. Most wild birds enjoy black-oil sunflower seeds,...

Backyard bird watching is an activity nearly everyone can enjoy, and it is fun to attract as many different types of birds to your yard as you can. Birds in colder climates are especially...

The cassowary is a large, flightless bird that is native to Australia. There are not many left, putting the bird among the other endangered species of the world. While there are some...

The myna, or mynah, is part of the Sturnidae family of birds that also includes the European starling. Its diet is berries and insects. The myna is an Asian bird that has infiltrated the United...

Keeping squirrels off bird feeders can be done quite easily. It may seem the squirrel is outsmarting you at every turn, but you are going to win this time. True, they can jump five or six feet...

New Jersey is a small state with a wide variety of bird-watching terrains. Cities, farmland, forests, coastal marshes and mountains are all within a three-hour drive. More than 400 species of...

Squirrels may seem like cute nut-loving critters, but they are the bane of bird lovers everywhere. They can easily raid a bird feeder, leaving no seeds for feathered friends. Hanging the bird...

I ran accross this last winter and thought it would be fun to try and my kids fell in love with it. They love to watch what goes on each day inside a nest. The best part was it was fairly...

The flamingo's body, with its long neck, spindly pink legs and webbed feet, is ideally designed for its habitat. As a filter feeder, this bird is able to search for food in deep water while the...

Bird bands are serially-numbered leg bands that enable scientists to identify an individual bird. Only federally-issued bands may be placed on wild birds released in the United States. Banding...

A buzzard is easy to spot with these helpful tips.

Creating a bird feeder with a child teaches about nature and is a fun activity. Purchase wild bird seed for all these activities. Adults should do all spreading and cutting. Allow children to help...

Before purchasing an chicken it is essential to evaluate the health of the bird. Signs of ill health may indicate that the hen or rooster has a contagious disease, has been living in poor...

Building a hanging bird feeder is easy to do whether or not you have any woodworking skills. You can buy kits to recycle 3-liter soda bottles into bird feeders or spoon peanut butter mixed with...

Hummingbirds migrate from the north, usually Canada and New England, to the south, in Florida and Mexico, for the winter months. Find out how hummingbirds can migrate to the exact same places,...

Bird seed cookies are fun and easy to make, and are truly appreciated by your wild avian friends in the dead of winter when pickings are slim. Making these cookies with nutritious ingredients from...

Does this sound familiar? You’ve just filled your bird feeders and you’re successfully attracting a variety of songbirds to your backyard. But that’s not all you’re attracting: hordes of marauding...

The best way to study wild animals is by observing them, but instinct keeps most animals far from human populations. Birds seem to be an exception to this general rule. If comfortable and adequate...

Identifying wild bird eggs generally requires a thorough field guide, as there are no hard and fast rules about which eggs belong to which type of bird. Avoid activity around a bird nest during...

To attract orioles, put out any type of fruit on open fruit bird feeders. Orioles will also feed from hummingbird feeders with larger holes. Attract orioles in large, park-like areas with help...

To attract goldfinches, use two bird feeders with multiple ports and perches, provide black oil sunflower or Nyjer seed, and plant lots of ornamental flowers. Consider using a sock bird feeder or...

Feed birds with bird feeders that are easily cleaned and large enough to hold plenty of bird seed. Use a variety of bird seed, and have a water source and brush pile nearby the feeder. Clean bird...

Feeding most wild birds with bird feeders means filling the bird feeders with seeds and suet. But birds’ feeders that are made to feed wild ravens the way our friends did on their farm are a...

High-flying turkey vultures and bald eagles can look very similar to us ground dwellers. Here is a fool-proof way to tell the difference between them. No binoculars needed!

Boldly going where no bird has gone before, the wren is a notoriously appealing species. It's a tiny ball of feathers wrapped around an attitude, flitting about humans with tail held high,...

An adaptation is any trait that changes to better suit the organism for its environment. Adaptations are genetically-based and can be passed on from generation to generation. Behavioral...

The osprey, also called the fish hawk, was once endangered in the United States due to the effects of pesticides. However, it has recently made a strong comeback and their numbers are increasing....

Oddly enough, the northern flicker is the state bird of the southern state of Alabama, having been designated such in 1929. At that time it was commonly called the yellowhammer and it is still...

The bluebird has become an icon for birdwatchers all over the United States since its severe decline since the early 1900's. Pesticides, land clearing and the introduction of house sparrows all...

Learn the importance of eye signs and how to tell if a bird is good for racing and breeding in this free video clip on homing pigeons.