Animals & Science

Mounting bird houses around the yard can provide hours of enjoyment for bird watchers and aviary enthusiasts. Bird houses also offer benefits for the feathered creatures themselves.

Songbirds can be a pleasant presence in any yard. In recent decades, humans have been building birdhouses to help out the winged creatures--and now we know that those birdhouses are actually...

Wildlife animals, particularly large birds, are difficult to capture well on film since they are often difficult to spot and not likely to stay still for long periods of time. If you photograph...

Hang a birdhouse in your yard to attract wild birds. The birds not only make a yard look pretty but pollinate flowers in the yard. Use rope rather than wire or fishing line to hang the birdhouse....

Starlings are aggressive birds that will drive away the more varied, small birds you may be tring to attract with your feeder. Their larger size, however, is a disadvantage that you can use...

Every backyard bird watcher loves to look out the window to a yard full of feathered natives, busy feeders and crowded birdbaths. But even the most avid bird enthusiasts will tell you that there...

Homemade birdseed feeders are easy to create. You can find everything you need to make your birdseed feeder right in your own home. Making a birdseed feeder is a fun project for children and...

Birds have simple requirements for selecting a place to nest. Providing a reliable food source, protective cover, water, and nesting areas will attract birds. Flight takes a great deal of energy....

Grackles are black birds ranging in size from about 12 inches long to 16 inches long, depending on the variety. They roost in groups that can vary from a single pair to hundreds of birds. Although...

Frigate birds make up five different species in the genus Fregata. This sea bird is related to the pelican and is sometimes referred to as the Man-o'-War bird or the Pirate bird.

Many people enjoy watching the numerous species of birds that frequent their yards in the warm spring months. Some individuals put up bird houses to draw in beautiful native species like the...

The now-extinct elephant bird (Aepyornis maximus), or vorompatra, was the largest bird that ever lived, measuring 10 feet in height and weighing half a ton. The elephant bird has several living...

Bird feeders can attract a wide variety of colorful and interesting birds to your yard or garden. Many bird lovers and nature lovers put up feeders to attract birds that would not normally come...

The five species of frigate birds spend most of their lives soaring along coastlines and far out to sea. They nest in trees and shrubs or on rocky ledges, and these unusual birds rarely sit down...

Despite their stinging defenses, bees are a common food item among certain birds.

Hawks are carnivorous birds; they only eat other animals. In general, hawks will eat any live animal that they can catch and eat--they have a varied diet. They tend to adapt to eating what is in...

Hot pepper powder, or the capsaicin compound derived from hot peppers, is often added to loose bird seed, bird seed bells and suet cakes to discourage hungry squirrels from gobbling up food...

Its getting cold time to go indoors. The birds and other animals are preparing for the cold winter ahead. Food is less available for them during the winter. One way to help birds during the cold...

Offering mealworms, which are beetle larvae, to the birds that frequent your yard and garden is a great way to encourage them to nest nearby. It also provides them with nourishment during...

There are an estimated 1 million to 1 billion incidents a year where birds die after flying into windows. Not only are windows dangerous to birds but so are cats, dogs and illness. If you have...

Wild birds appreciate a special treat during the freezing winter months, especially when natural food supplies are limited. Beef suet can be combined with peanut butter, cornmeal and birdseed to...

Promoting birds in your yard or on your property in an ecologically sensible manner means little more than ensuring plenty of cover and a broad suite of food sources. While garden shops offer a...

What good is a birdhouse without any birds? Here are some things to keep in mind when putting up a birdhouse in your yard to make sure birds actually want to live in it.

Iron oxide, commonly known as rust, may seem like an odd ingredient for bird food. In fact, this chemical compound is used in a wide range of products--from cosmetics to animal feed.

Spread leg syndrome, also called spraddle or splay leg, occurs in newly hatched chicks. Though splay leg affects other animals, it is primarily a problem among domesticated poultry. The chick's...

If a flock of cat birds has settled in your neighborhood, they won't waste any time in making their presence known. Cat birds greet the dawn with a chorus of chirping interspersed with raspy...

A bird spends a lot of energy flying, molting, breeding, rearing young and defending its territory. It actively searches out foods that can help it meet these needs. Birds eat more than one type...

Avian diseases thrive in the water supplies of birds, spreading easily since birds tend to travel and gather in flocks. With regular care and cleaning, domestic birdbaths do not have to be a...

As with all animals, birds adapt to suit locations and needs. These variations are what birders use to identify them. Some traits, such as- the size and shape of the bird, can be easily seen....

Birds need plenty of fat and protein, especially in winter. Just like us, birds also need calcium in their diet to strengthen their bones. The basic recipe below provides fat, protein and calcium...

The eastern United States offers a variety of bird-watching terrain: cities, farmland, forests, coastal marshes and mountains. Opportunities to watch and study neotropical migratory birds from as...

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, over 50 million Americans call themselves birders, and the numbers are increasing. Birdwatching is big business, with birders spending over $32...

There are more than 9,000 species of birds that inhabit every region of the planet, from the burrowing owl of the American desert to the emperor penguin of Antarctica. Yet despite their incredible...

There are 17 species of hummingbirds in the United States, with the ruby-throated hummingbird being one of the best known. They are the smallest type of bird and their ability to fly backward and...

United States Geological Survey (USGS) is actively involved in many science areas. One of the areas is the Breeding Bird Survey, combining the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center with the...

If you're a bird lover and you find a baby orphaned bird, chances are you want to do everything you can to make sure it survives and thrives. Unfortunately, many well-meaning people wind up doing...

The Audubon Society says that hummingbirds are the smallest of all birds and among the most popular visitors to home feeders. Their fast wing beats (40-80 per second) and heart rates (500-1,260...

If you have an existing bird house and are wondering why there are no feathered tenants to be found, you may want to reassess the bird house conditions. Birds are instinctive creatures and if they...

Starlings, officially called European Starlings, were first introduced to the United States in 1890. They were brought to the country by those who wanted to live among all the birds found in...

The Fieldfare is a European native bird (of the thrush family of birds) that migrates throughout Northern Europe and Asia. There are many types of thrush birds that look similar to one another,...

What wild birds eat depends on the type. There is tremendous variety between the different families of birds. Some birds eat only insects or seeds. Others are true omnivores that devour nearly...

Birdwatching, also known as birding, is a popular and easy hobby to start. Whether you have a little money or a lot, you can find birds almost anywhere if you open your eyes and ears. One of the...

There are close to 1,000 species of birds in North America. If you watch birds all year round, you'll probably see 100 or more of them in your own neighborhood. For example, the male American...

Bird watching is a fascinating hobby, especially in California. Of the 976 species of birds found in North America, more than half are found here. Start your journey of bird identification with a...

Zoo visitors often ask why flamingos stand one one foot--this curious behavior is frequently observed by the public. Until recently, scientists only had guesses as to the answer. In 2009, a...

Spring is the time of year when hundreds of baby birds are found on the ground, seemingly in need of care. Some baby birds will be covered sparsely with feathers, while others will be naked with...

During the late spring and early summer, it's not uncommon to find "abandoned" baby birds. People often worry that the baby won't be taken care of by the parents and take the baby into their home...

What birds eat varies with the species of birds and where they live. There are approximately 10,000 different species of birds with habitats all over the globe.

Feeding the birds can be rewarding and entertaining, and no backyard birds are more sought after than hummingbirds. It is easy to make a hummingbird feeder from a plastic bottle and not only can...

The desert buzzard, also known as Harris' hawk and scientifically named Parabuteo unicinctus, is a raptor found in the southwestern United States, northwestern Mexico, and Central and South...