Birding

Spotting a killdeer does not have to be a difficult endeavor. You'll often hear them before you ever see them. Killdeer make a distinctive, shrill cry that gives the bird its name. These birds are…

The killdeer (Charadrius vociferous) belongs to the plover family, but unlike these shore birds, it often resides away from water. Frequenting plowed fields, mudflats, sandbars and pastures, the…

The name of the black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus) is misleading, making the identification of this visitor to North Atlantic locales in North America confusing. A native of Europe and Asia, but…

Ringneck pheasants are a popular target for hunters. Most pheasants harvested by hunters are raised in pens. The reason for this is that there are just not as many pheasants in the wild as there used…

Like any athlete, bird dogs need to practice to become good at their sport. You can train your hunting dog with a bird launcher. The bird launcher launches live birds, often pigeons, into the air.…

The Amazon Basin is a huge expanse of land, containing a plethora of bird species. Unfortunately, human intervention that causes loss of habitat, along with the persecution of some of these birds,…

The brown-headed cowbird is a frequent visitor to bird feeders throughout much of the United States. Brown-headed cowbirds will gather during the winter months with other blackbird species, including…

The finch family has significant representation in California, with various species of this bird occurring in the state. Some of the finches that inhabit California have a wide geographic range across…

Recording bird songs and other sounds is an expansion of the bird-watching hobby that involves some specialized equipment. Compiling an indexed set of recordings of birds helps bird-watchers review…

Multiple species of birds are what ornithologists call "secondary cavity nesters," making use of the holes that other birds, such as woodpeckers, excavate in trees and eventually abandon. These types…

The northern flicker became Alabama's state bird mostly because its markings reminded many of the uniforms worn by the state's soldiers during the Civil War. Also called a yellowhammer or a…

Alabama adopted the yellow-shafted flicker, called a yellowhammer in the South, as its state bird on September 6, 1927. Confederate troops from the state gained the nickname "yellowhammers" during the…

Mississippi's location along the Gulf of Mexico means that it has an assortment of year-round bird species living within its borders, able to remain as they have little problem finding food in the…

Of the 145 types of finches that exist worldwide, 16 occur in North America, reports the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Birds." The finches often have brightly colored feathers, especially…

The different types of wild birds that occur throughout the North American continent display great diversity in their diets, habitats and behaviors. Some are skilled predators, able to kill easily and…

Some species of birds are much more common than others are, showing up in many different habitats, especially at backyard feeding stations. These common wild birds often have a range across large…

Despite the harsh weather that a Massachusetts winter can whip up, many of the birds in the Bay State are year-round residents and do not fly south to avoid such conditions. These hardy birds rely on…

North America is an expansive landscape with an extremely diverse range of habitats for the thousands of species that make their homes here. For hunters of upland game birds--the term used to describe…

The various birds considered herons in North America include a dozen species--the bitterns, egrets and herons--with all of these birds living near the water. All herons are wading birds, primarily…

Several species of birds use their acrobatic flying skills to capture and then consume insects such as wasps, bees, mosquitoes, midges, flies and Japanese beetles in flight. Birds of this nature that…

The dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemlais) is part of the Sparrow family and has the nickname of snow bird. When winter approaches, the snow bird leaves the northernmost part of its range in Canada and…

The great blue heron is a magnificent and shy bird that frequents wetlands. These birds should not be handled because they can attack if provoked. However, humans are more of a threat to these birds…

The Nene, (pronounced nay-nay) is also known as the Hawaiian goose and is native to portions of the Hawaiian Islands. It is an endangered species. Designated as the state bird of Hawaii by its…

Telling the difference between a male and female bird of the same species comes down to your ability to note variations in appearances and behaviors. In many species of birds across North America, the…

It is sometimes difficult enough to identify a particular species of bird without then having to decide whether the specimen is male or female. In many cases, though, you will have enough information…

Feeding birds from bird feeders is an activity that millions of Americans enjoy. It allows people to help birds get through the tough times of winter and offers a chance to observe an assortment of…

Bird shot starts as a long, steel alloy wire. To create this wire, molten iron is mixed with carbon and other metals before being poured into small, narrow troughs. Once cooled, the molten mixture…

The perching birds ("passerines") compose by far the largest order of birds on Earth. Also known as "Passeriformes" within the scientific community, the perching birds are found on every continent…

Dirty birds is an effective sports training exercise that's great to perform with a partner. Learn more about dirty birds from a professional fitness trainer in this free exercise video.

Do you own Larry Bird basketball cards? You can make money selling these cards. The Internet is a good way to do this and there are other approaches too. You can get in touch with a large amount of…

The Whirly Bird is a sweet wakeboarding trick with a smooth spin and a killer flip. It requires a bit of prior knowledge, but once you've learned the Tantrum and the Heelside 360, you can easily…