One year during the spring nesting season, I noticed a sparrow making soft alarm calls and following a squirrel around the forest. Of course, I became instantly fascinated as to why this was happening, and it got me wondering whether squirrels ever steal and eat bird eggs. As it turns out, squirrels do eat bird eggs when they have the opportunity. If a squirrel locates an active nest, they … [Read more...] about Do Squirrels Eat Bird Eggs? (Squirrels As Predators)
Learn Bird Language
This page contains information about bird language. This is a skill that I've put a lot of energy and practice into. It's one of my passions and I'm very excited to share it with you.
Why Do Birds Fight?
One spring morning I was sitting outside watching robins eat worms on the lawn when suddenly the birds all started fighting like an angry mob. After a brief burst of flapping wings and loud chirping sounds, they suddenly calmed back down and everything returned to normal. If you’ve ever seen birds fighting like this, you might wonder why they get so crazy and aggressive. What does … [Read more...] about Why Do Birds Fight?
Why Do Sparrows Chirp? (five sparrow calls & what they mean)
Why is that sparrow chirping so much? It’s not uncommon for sparrows to have frequent outbursts of chirping that make people stop and wonder what’s going on. Luckily, the language of sparrows is actually quite simple to understand once you know how it works. There are five main reasons why sparrows chirp, and the cause of this behavior can be identified by paying attention to the speed … [Read more...] about Why Do Sparrows Chirp? (five sparrow calls & what they mean)
Why Are Chickadees So Friendly? (4 simple reasons…)
Have you ever had a chickadee land on you while walking in the woods? Well, you wouldn’t be alone! Chickadees have gained a reputation among songbirds for being some of the most friendly creatures in the forest. But have you ever wondered why? Chickadees who have regular contact with humans in parks and on hiking trails become less fearful of our presence and sometimes even … [Read more...] about Why Are Chickadees So Friendly? (4 simple reasons…)
Why Do Crows Gather At Sunset?
Woa, look at all those crazy crows! Why are they swarming like that? One of the most striking displays of crow behavior is when crows gather together in massive groups at the end of the day. These flocks can grow to as many as hundreds or even thousands of crows, which really makes them stand out in the environment. So if you’ve ever seen this massive influx of noisy black corvids, you … [Read more...] about Why Do Crows Gather At Sunset?
How Do Hawks Hunt?
One of the amazing things about hawks is their huge variety of different strategies for hunting and catching prey. Some hawks hunt by soaring high over open landscapes as they watch for unsuspecting prey animals below. Others will choose a silent perch at the edge of a meadow, then swoop down at just the right moment. There are even hawks that specialize in hunting birds on the fly, swerving … [Read more...] about How Do Hawks Hunt?
Why Do Owls Bob Their Heads?
Have you ever seen that weird head bobbing movement owls make? Recently I've had multiple people describe encounters they had with owls bobbing their heads. And it just so happens I caught some great video footage of young Barred Owls doing this exact head bobbing while learning to hunt crickets in the yard. So I figured this is the perfect opportunity to talk about why owls bob their … [Read more...] about Why Do Owls Bob Their Heads?
How Do Birds Communicate?
Have you ever wondered how birds communicate with all those amazing sounds they make? Many years ago I began studying birds to better understand what messages they might be sending around the forest. After much study and personal research, I’ve discovered there are some pretty fascinating things to know about what birds are saying. Birds communicate with vocal sounds like songs, companion … [Read more...] about How Do Birds Communicate?
How To Find Owls
Have you ever seen an owl up close in the wild? Owls are some of the coolest birds on the planet. They’re known for being incredibly stealthy nocturnal predators with highly efficient hunting skills. Yet unlike a lot of other sneaky predators we hear about in storybooks & nature shows, owls are actually surprisingly easy to find in real life (when you take the right approach). In my … [Read more...] about How To Find Owls
How To Find Bird Nests
Every year during spring, the forests & fields of nature become filled with a hustle & bustle of nesting birds. When you know what clues to look for, this brings a rare opportunity to practice finding bird nests and study their predator defence strategies. The easiest way to find nests is by watching for birds carrying nest materials like twigs, mud, plant fibers, moss & sticks, … [Read more...] about How To Find Bird Nests