Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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🚨 Last call! Join Project FeederWatch before Feb 28 & be part of a community of participatory scientists keeping tabs on winter bird populations. Sign up with code FEB2026 for just $9! Canadians can sign up by making a donation to Birds Canada. Join today: www.feederwatch.org/join-or-renew

We are in awe of the over 1 million participants that showed up for birds during The Great Backyard Bird Count! You've still got until March 1st to submit your lists through eBird. Watch the video to see the record breaking numbers we've got so far.

The Hidden World of Nests and Eggs | Bird Academy * The Cornell Lab Coming Soon Don't miss out on this exciting course. Enter your email to receive course updates and discounts. Gift certificates are a great way to give the bird enthusiasts in your life something that supports and encourages their passion. Learn About Gift Certificates

Our next online course is hatching soon. 🐣Uncover the hidden realm of nests, nesting behavior, eggs, chicks, and fledglings with this upcoming, self-paced course! Click through to stay informed and know when this course is ready to fledge.

Red-necked Grebe Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Red-necked Grebes are boldly plumaged waterbirds with pale cheeks and a daggerlike yellow bill that contrasts with a sharp black crown often likened to a toreador’s cap (sometimes raised into a short ...

This brown waterbird with a long yellow bill, dark eye, and blackish head bordered by a whitish crescent is a RED-NECKED GREBE. To learn more visit All About Birds: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-ne...

[Image description: A waterbird swimming across calm blue water. The bird has a brownish body, darker head, and yellow bill. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Deborah H / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Virginia in mid-February. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Deborah H for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Our Garden for Birds initiative helps you welcome birds into your outdoor space using native plants. Habitat loss is the #1 threat facing birds & we can do something about it. You don't have to have a yard, even just adding a native plant to a pot can help: www.gardenforbirds.org

Free live event: Exploring the Hidden World of Backyard Birds. What to expect: Behind the scenes insights, a celebration of our hardy winter birds, inspiration for appreciating familiar birds whole new ways. Register & you'll be entered to win great giveaways. hubs.la/Q03YxhN70

Right Bird, Right House Want to help birds but not sure which ones you can attract? Use this interactive tool to find out which birds are likely to nest in your region and habitat, and download the appropriate nest box plans.

Birds take time to discover an available box, so it’s best to place them before spring starts. Take advantage of the tail end of winter to post a nest box (or a few). We’ve got free plans to help you get started:

Dunlin Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Dazzling in its breeding finery, with vivid rusty back and black belly patch, the Dunlin was once called the Red-backed Sandpiper. It’s now named for its nonbreeding plumage, a mousy gray-brown or “du...

This plump brownish-gray sandpiper with streaked underparts and a long, droopy bill is a nonbreeding DUNLIN. To learn more about this species visit All About Birds: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dunlin

[Image description: A shorebird standing in calm, shallow water against a pale violet background. The bird is brownish-gray above and white below, with gray streaks on the breast and flanks. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © James Tornetta / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Rhode Island on Saturday during the Great Backyard Bird Count. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to James Tornetta for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library.

Will you be participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend? Share this post to let folks know.
It doesn't matter where you bird this weekend, participating in GBBC is a great way to support birds. Spread the word so we can make this the biggest GBBC yet! www.birdcount.org/participate/

We’re taking on a new perspective in this episode of Backyard Birds Revealed, getting a bird’s eye view of tree-trunk climbing birds like woodpeckers & nuthatches. How do their unique body shapes & feet help them maneuver vertical surfaces? Why do they climb so differently? hubs.la/Q03YxhtG0

Scaled Quail Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Groups of Scaled Quail scurry through the desert grasslands of the southwestern United States, calling softly to each other to stay in contact. These elegant brownish-gray birds have an understated cr...

This brown-and-gray gamebird with scaly underparts and a puffy crest is a SCALED QUAIL, sometimes known as a “cottontop.” To learn more visit All About Birds: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Scaled...
Thanks to Hannah Criswell for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library.

Osprey Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into water to catch them, Ospreys are common sights soaring over shorelines, patrolling waterways, and standing on the...

This brown-and-white raptor with a brown mask running through a yellow eye, pure white legs, and pale feet is an OSPREY. To learn more visit All About Birds: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey
Thanks to Alex Sauerbrunn for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library.

A brown-and-white raptor facing downward, just above the water surface. The bird’s legs and talons are fully outstretched, while the wings are folded in above the bird in a triangular shape. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Alex Sauerbrunn / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Florida in early February 2023. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Alex Sauerbrunn for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Get excited for the Great Backyard Bird Count with this mini challenge. To participate in GBBC all you have to do is count birds with friends or on your own from anywhere in the world and for as little as 15 minutes between Feb. 13-16. Then, let us know what you see. www.birdcount.org/participate/

How Do Birds "Fall in Love"? A Look at Courtship Displays From the Spring 2020 issue of Living Bird magazine. Subscribe now. Disclaimer: Birds form pair bonds for a variety of reasons, and whether they fall in love ...

Spring is on the way, and love is in the air... for birds too! When it comes to birdy "romance", there's no one right way to do it. From shared meals to dramatic dances and more, discover more about the wide variety of courtships in the bird world:

🫢 Rare looks at birds from the inside of a tree cavity! In this episode of Backyard Birds Revealed, learn a bit about the ecosystem created by woodpecker holes—why they drill holes and who benefits from them. Click here to watch the full episode: hubs.la/Q03YxgyW0

[Image description: A brownish game bird with a short crest. The bird is striding across a red pebbly surface, with both feet off the ground. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Hannah Criswell / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Colorado in early February 2025. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Hannah Criswell for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Drumroll please! Wait to the end to see the winners for our 'Bird Grammys.' Thanks to everyone who voted! Learn more about bird song and birding by ear: www.allaboutbirds.org/news/browse/...

Can you match the bird to its nest?

Photo credits: 1 © Sharon Beals, from the collection of the California Academy of Sciences. 2 © Judy Timmerberg. 3 © Sharon Beals, from the collection of Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates. 4 © Kristi Gould. 5 by Deepak Gujar. 6 © R. Greenwood.

Rough-legged Hawk Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology The Rough-legged Hawk spends the summer capturing lemmings on the arctic tundra, tending a cliffside nest under a sun that never sets. Winter is the time to see this large, open-country hawk in southe...

QUIZ ANSWER: This week’s mystery bird is a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk! Several Buteo species have light or dark morphs, but only Red-tailed & Rough-legged occur in NJ in winter—and dark morph Red-tails don’t in the East. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rough-...

Join us for the Great Backyard Bird Count February 13-16! You can be anywhere in the world, any age & any level of experience. Count birds for at least 15 minutes, then let us know what you see. Your observations help researchers learn more about how to help birds. birdcount.org

Just launched! Explore the family tree of 11,000+ bird species — and trace your own eBird life list through millions of years of evolution. Try our new Birds of the World Phylogeny Explorer free Jan 28–Feb 1 birdsoftheworld.org/bow/phylogeny. Use code TREEOFLIFE for 25% off a subscription.

[Image description: A white-and-blackish hawk, soaring against a gray sky. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Heather Van Dyk / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in New Jersey in early January. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Heather Van Dyk for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

In this episode of Backyard Birds Revealed, we used super slow motion cameras to reveal bird behavior at the feeder—graceful (and not so graceful) landings, squabbles, and impressive acrobatics. Watch the full episode now: hubs.la/Q03Yxgql0

[Image description: A brown duck with white facial markings, resting on grayish water. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Mason Maron / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Seattle, Washington in early January. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Mason Maron for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Intro to Drawing Birds - Liz Clayton Fuller | Bird Academy Start drawing birds with friendly guidance from natural science illustrator Liz Clayton Fuller in this 90-minute, beginner-friendly art workshop.

Join us January 24 at 3:00 p.m. EST/ 12:00 p.m. PST for Intro to Drawing Birds, a beginner-friendly art workshop with Liz Clayton Fuller! ✏️🎨Learn basics of bird anatomy for artwork and start sketching birds with accuracy. 📣Sign up before January 20 and save! academy.allaboutbirds.org/live-event/i...

Our new series, Backyard Birds Revealed, takes you up close with slowed‑down footage of familiar birds & revealing details you’d miss at normal speed. This episode reveals some wintertime survival tricks of our avian neighbors. hubs.la/Q03YxfCM0