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Ornithologist
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Co-authored Articles (50)
How to
Help a Baby Bird That Has Fallen Out of a Nest
When you see a baby bird survive after falling from the nest, your first instinct may be to help it. Most well-meaning people do more harm than good when they attempt to rescue baby birds. Before you act, it’s importan...
How to
Make Emergency Baby Bird Food
Seeing a hungry baby bird can certainly pull at your heartstrings. Ideally, a wild a baby bird should be left in its nest or taken to experts at a wildlife rehabilitation center. However, you may need to feed a baby bird...
How to Tell the Difference Between Male and Female Robins
Identify male & female American, Australian, & European robins The robin is a beautiful migratory songbird that many believe brings tidings of the spring season. Robins are quite common throughout Europe and North Americ...
Nighttime Chirping: Why Do Birds Do It?
All the reasons why you're hearing birdsong after darkBirds are famous for chirping at sunrise, but they sleep during the night—right? Hearing midnight chirping can be a little unnerving since most of us don't expect i...
How to
Feed a Baby Sparrow
If you find a baby sparrow that appears abandoned, you can take it into your home and feed it. Many wildlife refuges and concerned people care for injured and orphaned sparrows until they are old enough to fly. Before at...
How to
Tell the Sex of a Baby Duck
Figuring out the sex of a baby duck can be surprisingly difficult when they're young and generally you won't be able to tell by looking at them until they're much older. As such, there are specific methods experienced du...
How to Identify a Male or Female Duck using Appearance and Behavior
Sorting the drakes from the hens in Mallard and other duck species Whether you’re spying them through binoculars or pairing them up to brood, sorting the males ducks (or “drakes”) from the females (often called “...
How to
Create an Egg Incubator for Wild Bird Eggs
If you want to hatch some wild bird eggs that you've found but don't have the money for a professional incubator, you can easily create one from household items. Once you've assembled the incubator, you'll be ready to pr...
How to
Attract Crows
Crows are very bright creatures, one of the most intelligent animal species, and a group of crows, called a "flock" or a "murder," can be a useful addition to your yard. A small flock can keep plants free of insects and ...
How to
Tell if Duck Eggs Are Dead or Alive
Maybe you are raising duck eggs in an incubator so they can develop into baby ducklings, but you are not sure if your eggs are dead or alive. Or perhaps you stumbled upon duck eggs in the wild and are wondering whether t...
How to
Tell the Age of a Budgie
Figuring out the age of a budgie can be easy! You can tell whether a budgie is a baby, an adolescent, or an adult through several telltale signs. Start by looking for striped or clear cap feathers. Then look at the bird�...
How to
Care For a Bird That Has Hit a Window
According to the Bird Conservation Network more than 100 million North American birds die every year from window collisions. These accidents are most common during spring mating season. It is illegal to keep a wild bird ...
8 Expert-Backed Explanations Behind Birds' Early Morning Singing
There’s more to a bird’s chirping than being your personal alarm clock The sound of lovely birdsong trills outside your bedroom…but your clock is only reading 5 am. As you lie awake listening to the chirping, you�...
How to
Find and Take Care of Wild Bird Eggs
Caring for wild bird eggs is best left to wild birds, but sometimes we can help. Follow these steps if you find a wild bird egg that looks abandoned.
Does My Bird Have Mites? Common Signs, & What to Do
Learn to spot mites on parrots, parakeets, cockatiels, and other birds Certain bird species, like parakeets, parrots, and finches, are more likely to contract mites. Bird mites feed on your bird’s blood, can live and t...
How to
Make a Bird Nest
A bird's nest makes a wonderful mantelpiece decoration, and can make use of almost anything you find along a nature hike, or in your front yard. Wild birds usually prefer to make their own nests, but you can lure many sp...
How to
Tell if a Bird Egg Is Infertile
Whether you're looking to ensure your bird eggs are viable for breeding or you're just curious, checking to see if an egg is infertile can be quite easy. In most cases, it's possible to ensure your eggs do not grow into ...
How to
Keep Algae from Growing in Bird Bath
The existence of algae in a birdbath is common, especially since algae spores can be transferred or deposited into your birdbath by the wind, bird feet, or even from nearby trees. To prevent algae from growing in your bi...
How to
Care for a Bird
Birds are extremely social by nature, and thrive on company, nurturing, and frequent interaction. Many species of birds make fun, engaging pets. If you're considering bird ownership, the care requirements include providi...
How to Buy Binoculars for Your Favorite Outdoor Hobby
Pick the best size, magnification, and features for your price range Binoculars are fantastic tools that make activities like bird-watching, star-gazing, concerts, and sports more enjoyable. However, not all binoculars a...