[Image description: Bright blue bird with crimson and gold stripes on wings flying. Text reads: Welcome Back Birds! Thursday, May 14 1-2PM ET / 10-11AM PT. Bird Migration in your backyard. Photo credit: Blue Grosbeak © Macaulay Library]

Our next Welcome Back Birds live session is coming up—join Cornell Lab experts to explore bird migration & can’t-miss spectacles near you. Register once to access May + June events, the April recording (all about bird songs), bonus resources & a discount on Bird Academy courses! hubs.la/Q048D9J90

The results are in, 10/10 cats love our new video: Learn 10 Bird Songs of Spring—Common Species Across North America. Humans can learn to ID some early spring arrival bird songs by watching the full video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_Qt... & cats can reconnect with nature safely from your living room!

A Common Gallinule sitting on its nest that is made from a pile of marsh reeds that have been piled up on the water’s edge among more reeds. Words overlaying the image read “What is your ideal nest?” Photo credit: Common Gallinule © Martha Cartwright / Macaulay Library.

A nest made of grasses in a spiraling spherical shape that looks like a stereotypical nest tilted 90 degrees on its side. A bird is looking out from the side entrance hole. Words overlaying the image read “Take our fun quiz!” Photo credit: White-browed Sparrow-weaver © Eelco van Riel / Macaulay Library

What's your ideal nest? A cavity like a bluebird? Perching in an open-cup nest like a Northern Cardinal? Or bobbing in nest made from floating vegetation, like a Common Gallinule? We designed a special quiz tells you where you’d nest if you were a bird: academy.allaboutbirds.org/whats-your-i...

Palila Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology The large, striking Palila is one of the rarest and most distinctive Hawaiian honeycreepers. This critically endangered species, numbering about 1,000 individuals, occurs only in a narrow band of nati...

This large-billed finch with a golden head and breast, clean white belly, and neat gray upperparts is a PALILA. To learn more visit All About Birds: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Palila Thanks to Robert Hollyer for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library.

Peak spring migration is fast approaching & with it comes a serious threat to birds. By making simple changes to your home or building, you can help protect birds & support their incredible journeys. Visit www.stopbirdcollisions.org to learn how to make glass safer & reduce light pollution.

[Image description: A songbird perched on a horizontal branch with lichen-covered branches in the background. The bird is yellow, white, and gray, with a large bill. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Robert Hollyer / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Hawaii in early April. 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 Robert Hollyer for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Why Do Nuthatches Coat Their Nest Entrances With Sap? A simple series of experiments looked into why Red-breasted Nuthatches use sticky conifer resin to defend against nest predators and competitors.

For years researchers have been curious about an interesting trait of Red-breasted Nuthatches. This species add a curious substance to their nesting holes. It wasn’t until 2024, that they’ve been able to test their theories and publish an answer. www.allaboutbirds.org/news/why-nut...

Each spring, migratory birds travel thousands of miles—only to face deadly threats in our cities. Over 1B die in the U.S. yearly from window collisions. Dim lights at night. Treat glass by day. These simple steps save lives. Learn more: www.stopbirdcollisions.org/solutions/

Black-legged Kittiwake Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology A dainty gull of northern oceans, Black-legged Kittiwakes nest in teeming colonies on cliffs of the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Arctic. On these sheer, rocky sea stacks, their unceasing cries o...

This is a breeding BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, with “dipped-in-ink” wingtips, a greenish-yellow bill, dark eyes, and barely visible black legs. To learn more visit All About Birds: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/bklkit
Thanks to Megan Buers for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library.

Not all birds use nest boxes—only species that nest in tree cavities or crevices do! 🪺 Bluebirds, wrens, and chickadees may move in, but not hummingbirds, cardinals, or goldfinches. Other birds prefer platforms or shelves instead. Find the right fit: nestwatch.org/learn/all-ab...

[Image description: A gray-and-white seagull flying over dark blue ocean waters. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Megan Buers / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Newfoundland and Labrador in mid-April 2021. 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 Megan Buers for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Why Do Birds Put Snakeskin in Nests? It May Warn Away Predators Great Crested Flycatcher with a piece of shed snakeskin. Photo by Barbara Taylor / Macaulay Library. From the Spring 2025 issue of Living Bir ...

Some birds, including Great Crested Flycatchers and Northern House Wrens, have been known to drape snakeskins over their nests. Why? Evolving research suggests that, at least for cavity-nesting birds, the snakeskins act like a scarecrow against predators! Discover the details in this article:

The Hidden World of Nests and Eggs | Bird Academy * The Cornell Lab "I get asked all the time about how birds manage to raise their young against all the odds-and my answer? It's a truly remarkable journey! I made this course to share the journey of how birds come to life, and help you learn all the fascinating biology that transforms a freshly-laid egg into a healthy chick, all ready to fledge.

Our newest online course just hatched!🐣 If you've ever wondered what goes on inside a bird's nest, you won't want to miss this online course. Discover cool bird behaviors, and fascinating science in this course. You'll gain a new appreciation for the resillience and ingenuity of nesting birds.

Happy early April Fool's Day 😜 here's the photo to help you out!

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Louisiana—well north of its normal range—in early March. 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 Dania Sanchez for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Images of 3 birds, one bright yellow singing from a branch, another bright blue with rich brown stripes on its wings in flight, and the 3rd a brown and gray bird with a green caterpillar in its bill, perched on a sunflower. Text reads: Welcome Back Birds! Join us for the free 3 part virtual celebration of Spring migration. April-June. Bird Songs of Spring Thursday, April 9. Bird Migration From Your Backyard Thursday, May 14. Support Birds All Summer Long Thursday, June 18.

Join our 3-part virtual spring series (Apr–Jun) with Cornell Lab experts! Learn bird songs, get answers to migration questions, and discover how to support backyard birds all season long. Register once for access to all events, recordings, and curated resources: hubs.la/Q048D9J90

Hummingbird nests are made of soft plant down, spider silk & camouflaged with lichen & moss. NestWatch tips on safely checking nests: visiting 1-2X a week for under a minute generally doesn’t affect nesting success & keeping disturbance low gives birds the best chance. nestwatch.org/learn/how-to...

American Bittern Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology You'll need sharp eyes to catch sight of an American Bittern. This streaky, brown and buff heron can materialize among the reeds, and disappear as quickly, especially when striking a concealment pose ...

This is an AMERICAN BITTERN, with a full body, stout bill, heavy dark brown streaking on the breast, and brown-and-buff upperparts. To learn more visit All About Birds:
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/amebit
Thanks to Michael Linz for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library.

How Nest Designs Protect Eggs and Baby Birds | Bird Academy • The Cornell Lab Nests come in all shapes and sizes! Discover more about the types of nests birds build and how they keep vulnerable eggs and baby birds safe.

Bird nests have all kinds of variations, but we can generally group them into 10 basic shapes. Learn them all and uncover the ways variation in nest design can help protect their precious contents with this explainer:
academy.allaboutbirds.org/understand-h...

[Image description: A brown-and-buff heron with heavily streaked underparts standing in brown marsh vegetation. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Michael Linz / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Arkansas in mid-March. 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 Michael Linz for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Green-winged Teal Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology The little Green-winged Teal is the smallest dabbling duck in North America. The natty male has a cinnamon-colored head with a gleaming green crescent that extends from the eye to the back of the head...

This is a male GREEN-WINGED TEAL, with a cinnamon head, green streak behind the eye, vertical white line, and green wing patch. To learn more visit All About Birds: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/gnwtea Thanks to Julia Blankenship for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library.

[Image description: A duck rising up from calm, dark water with its wings outstretched. The duck appears mostly grayish, with a cinnamon and green head and a small green wing patch. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Julia Blankenship / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Illinois in early March. 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 Julia Blankenship for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Light brown and white bird with yellow throat and black mask and collar. Text reads: Horned Lark. Eremophila alpestris© Sarah Sharp/ Macaulay Library.

Photos of taxidermy birds side by side 2 sets. One Horned Lark from 1966 with white stomach and 1904 with gray stomach. One Red-headed Woodpecker from 1982 with a white stomach and from 1901 with a gray stomach. Text reads: Soot from coal turned many birds gray in the 1900s with arrows to gray birds. Better air quality by the 1960s brought their natural colors back with arrows to whiter birds. Specimen photos by Carl Fuldner and Shane DuBay.

Museum drawers quietly hold a record of pollution. Early 1900s bird specimens from the Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History were gray with soot—by the 1980s, their feathers significantly whiter. Full story: www.allaboutbirds.org/news/from-mu...

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a video of a flock of birds in Quebec in late February 2021. Can you find and identify all three species present? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Daniel Jauvin for sharing this video with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Long-eared Owl Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Long-eared Owls are lanky owls that often seem to wear a surprised expression thanks to long ear tufts that typically point straight up like exclamation marks. These nocturnal hunters roost in dense f...

This owl with an orange face, narrowly spaced ear tufts, and a mix of streaks and horizontal lines on the belly is a LONG-EARED OWL. Visit All About Birds: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Long-e... Thanks to Sandra Bourgeois Arseneault for sharing this photo with eBird/Macaulay Library.

Birds connect us—to nature & to each other. Now you can see that connection come to life, thanks to this beautiful, interactive, data visualization by @nadiehbremer.com. Using data from our All About Birds website, it highlights species that capture our hearts. searchingforbirds.visualcinnamon.com

[Image description: An owl perched on a thick horizontal tree branch. The bird has an orange face, streaked underparts, and prominent raised ear tufts. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Sandra Bourgeois Arseneault / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Quebec in early March 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 Sandra Bourgeois Arseneault for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

Input needed! Please answer a brief, anonymous survey about your experiences with our social media. Your feedback helps improve how we share information about the Lab, birds, and conservation. Thanks for helping us make this shared space better for everyone! cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

🚨 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.