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In a world where things like politics and religion can trigger people to act in ways that can only be described as crazy, one would think a topic like birds would be a safe haven from the strife and arguments that come along with simply living in a diverse society. Well, you would be wrong. While at first glance, the world of birds seems simple and innocent enough, there are actually some species of birds that can cause quite the debate between people sitting on opposite sides of the fence. Whether it’s because of conservation status, a nonnative history, or something else altogether, here are five species of North American birds that are shockingly polarizing.
5. Double-crested Cormorant
The first bird on our list is a fish eating specialist, the Double-crested Cormorant. Double-crested Cormorants are widespread across the United States and extremely numerous in many parts of the country. This is part of what makes this species a somewhat complicated subject. Double-crested Cormorants are native to North America, yet many people view them as a pest. In particular, those who are part of the fishing industry. Cormorants are masters at catching and eating fish, this can be a major problem for people who rely on fishing and fisheries for their livelihood. As a result, there have been cormorant culls instituted to thin the population. The reasons levied have been ecological and having to do with wildlife management but many people aren’t buying it and believe the actual cause of the culls have more to do with money than environmental stability. Is there an actual environmental reason that cormorants should be killed? That’s very unclear and what makes this species polarizing. Obviously bird lovers would say that the cormorants have as much right to eat fish as the humans hoping to profit from them and that evidence that large cormorant populations hurt the ecosystem is thin at best. Either way, this species and this topic are worth keeping an eye on in the future and can certainly cause some spirited discussion.
4. European Starling
European Starlings are incredibly fascinating birds. Known for their large murmurations and impressive range of noises they make including imitating human speech, this species is quite beautiful to look at especially in the light and well appreciated in their native range. The big problem with starlings is that their original native range is nowhere near North America. These cavity nesting birds were brought to the new world by people thinking they would be a pleasant species to have in America. They quickly spread throughout the country and are now considered a pest by many due to their nonnative status and the way they have thrived in their new home. Large flocks of starlings can often be seen feeding in farm fields, lawns, and at bird feeders seeming to edge out some native species. When European Starlings are brought up, the population seems very split on them with half believing them to be an awful species and others being quite enchanted by them. While they are definitely a polarizing bird in North America, they are nothing compared to a another nonnative species later on this list.
3. Sandhill Crane
At first glance it wouldn’t seem like there would be much to debate about Sandhill Cranes. These large and majestic birds were once in big-time trouble as a species but had one of the most successful resurgences in modern conservation history. Sandhill Cranes are now common in many parts of North America and are a species of low conservation concern. Similar to why Double-crested Cormorants are on this list, the reason the Sandhill crane comes in at number three is the controversy around hunting them. Ever since Sandhill Crane populations became more stable hunters have been wanting a season for them. Some people cite the taste of the meat as the reason while others say it’s for population control and to make sure they don’t destroy crops. On the opposite end of the spectrum are those that ponder questions such as “why would it be a good idea to hunt a creature that was almost on the edge of extinction.” Another potential issue with hunting sandhill cranes is hunters accidentally shooting the endangered whooping crane. Whooping crane numbers are still incredibly low and each one is important to helping the species regain its footing. Several incidents of whooping cranes being shot have already been documented. Whenever the killing of any animal is happening regardless of the reasons behind it, there will be division, and the sandhill crane is certainly at the center of such a debate.
2. House Sparrow
The House sparrow is one of the most recognizable birds in the world. Living in almost every country on the planet and having a propensity for spending time around humans, these are a normal part of life for many people. As a result, they are beloved by backyard bird feeders simply due to the fact that they are so common around homes. Particularly in cities and neighborhoods, these gray and brown birds are almost guaranteed to be visiting feeders and in the process endearing themselves to those that enjoy watching them. The problem is that this species has a darker side. While they do look pretty cute, House Sparrows are incredibly violent when competing for nesting sites and have a well documented reputation of killing more timid birds like bluebirds. They are also one of the most invasive nonnative species, spreading out all across the country and battling with native birds, often contributing to the decline of the native species. What’s the truth about House Sparrows? Are they a devastating plague upon North America or a cute human companion? To a degree both things can be true, but this is what makes the House Sparrow such a contentious topic.
1. Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Is it really accurate to have a possibly extinct species topping the list at number one. If you have been at all familiarized with the Ivory-billed Woodpecker debate you would know that it absolutely is. Just a quick bit of background on the ivory-billed woodpecker. It is or depending on who you ask was an extremely large species of woodpecker native to the American southeast. It is now believed by many to be extinct, and that’s where the controversy comes in. There is a large passionate contingency within the bird and birding community that believes this species is still alive somewhere in the swamps of the south. Numerous expeditions have taken place to find it with evidence that is far from conclusive. This noticeable divide between the believers and non believers has led to the entire topic being banned from many birding groups due to the shocking outrage that it seems to spark. For more information on the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and why it can be such a crazy topic to discuss, check out the videos in the description below and be sure to read the comments to see the true magnitude of the controversy.
While its somewhat surprising to have so much controversy surrounding particular animals, these five bird species have certainly found themselves at the center of some contentious debates. Whether it’s because of how numerous they have become, or simply whether they still exist at all, humans will always find a way to take sides on issues in the natural world. Do you know of some other polarizing bird species, let us know in the comments below and as always thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time, on Badgerland Birding.
In the 90s, a craze hit the United States that was unlike anything anyone had ever seen: Pokémon. Pokémon, which included an animated tv show, a trading card game, video games, and several movies, was based on a fictitious version of earth where creatures called Pokémon existed alongside humans. These creatures were essentially animals with some being domesticated and some being wild. Additionally, there were people known as Pokémon trainers who went out into the wild and caught Pokémon to add to their collection. Something about this phenomenon hit home with children and even adults across the globe with many kids playing the games and watching the shows, dreaming of getting as close as they could to being a real-life Pokémon trainer, but unfortunately, there is nothing in the real world that even resembles Pokémon; or is there? Enter the past-time known as birding. Birding, which was once stereotyped as a hobby reserved for the elderly and retired, has started to catch on with younger people, and the fact that it’s surprisingly close to playing Pokémon in real life, might be a reason why. Here are 5 reasons birding is extremely close to Pokémon in real life.
You can capture them
One of the most interesting things about Pokémon is the collecting aspect. In the tv show, the main character named Ash had a goal to catch every Pokémon, spawning one of the primary slogans of the intellectual property: Gotta catch em all. In the show and game, Pokémon are captured by way of a pokeball and registered to something called a pokedex which is pretty much an electronic field guide. In birding, the concept of catching something is still there but instead of physically obtaining the bird, it’s gathering photos, checkmarks on lists, and experiences. The goal for many birders is to see as many species as possible or to photograph as many species as possible. The idea of a pokedex even lines up well too, especially considering the way birders can keep track of so many stats and sightings through websites like eBird.
It’s driven by rarity
In pokemon there are many different common types of creatures, but the ones that people are really interested in finding are the ones that are low in numbers: the rare ones. Some of these pokemon are simply few and far between, but others that are known as legendaries only have one in existence. This idea of rarity is mirrored in the world of birding. The birds that people most want to see are the ones that either don’t frequently make it to their area or those that are even in low numbers globally. There are even some birds that actually are so endangered that there may only be one left in existence, causing avid birders to make long trips to try and see them. While rarity is an important aspect of many collection based hobbies, in both pokemon and birding, the way in which rare creatures are coveted seem too similar to ignore.
The species vary based on region and habitat
In the animated TV series and various pokemon games, different types of pokemon are found in different regions and habitats. For example, electric types of pokemon are found near power plants and grass and bug types are found in forests. Each one of these pokemon can be found in other locations but has a general place they can more often be located. This is the same with bird species. Some birds are extremely habitat specific and can only be found in particular places with specific conditions and vegetation. Going to different habitats will yield completely different sets of species than others. This is so much the case, that experienced birders can fairly reliably predict what species they will come across in a new place just by paying attention to the habitat. In addition to habitat however, both birds and pokemon vary by region, with completely different species living in the different continents of the world. This was a major point in pokemon with the original region being called Kanto and having certain pokemon that live there. As the franchise evolved more regions were explored that unlocked even more never before seen pokemon. In birding, as one explores more parts of the world, the more birds they see and the more species they add to their list.
Shinys exist
In pokemon, there are plenty of creatures to find, but sometimes the rarest don’t necessarily depend on the species. Something called shinies exist in the pokemon world. Shiny pokemon are essentially a different color variation of the normal pokemon and are coveted because of their rarity and uniqueness. In the bird world, something similar exists. While there are color morphs to some species such as eastern screech owls that come in a gay and a red morph, there are also some especially interesting pigment mutations. The most common of them is leucism. Leucism can be caused by a variety of different things but what it boils down to is a partial or complete loss of pigmentation, usually resulting in white patches of skin, fur, or feathers. This leads to a one-of-a-kind look, different than any other individual of their species: a real life shiny.
Some Pokémon are actually birds
Funny enough, most pokemon are based off of real life plants and animals. Certainly birds were a major source of inspiration for the creators of pokemon. It’s safe to say you could easily see something that looks precariously identical to tailow in real life. Or wingull, or peliper. And you’ll never be able to convince me that pidgey isnt a House Sparrow. For this reason, you can literally see a pokemon just by going out and looking for birds.
At the end of the day, the world of pokemon is of course fictitious and nothing quite like it will ever exist in the real world. However, birding is pretty much the closest hobby there is to being a real life pokemon trainer. Have you ever made this connection before, let us know in the comments below and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time, on Badgerland birding
Birding is one of the fastest growing outdoor hobbies in the United States and it’s easy to see why. There are a variety of ways to enjoy it, it involves the beauty of the natural world, and it can be done without breaking the bank. But what if I told you that birding is more than just a hobby, it will permanently change your life? Here are 5 ways this hobby will do just that.
You’ll be in better health
It may be surprising, but birding can actually be beneficial for both physical and mental health. In terms of physical well being, the active pursuit of birds usually involves walking, one of the best ways to burn calories while not putting extra strain on joints. The degree in which you’re willing to be active will of course directly correlate with how much you’re health will be impacted. You can stay indoors and plop down on a chair to watch your backyard birds, or watch from the car and of course these styles of birding will produce little in terms of health improvement, but someone walking long distances, hiking, or even biking while birding will enjoy some potentially sizable benefits. Even a leisurely stroll through the park can actually do wonders for cardiovascular health making birding a potential activity to add to your exercise routine.
In terms of mental health, being out in nature in general has been linked to relaxation and clearing stress. In addition to that, the continuous alertness involved in birding can help with mental acuity and perhaps even restore attention span, something important in a world filled with short form content and fast paced multitasking. Overall, birding and immersing oneself in nature could help people partaking in the activity feel more clarity and calmness which everyone could use more of in this fast paced modern society.
You’ll have a whole new friend group
With most hobbies, once you start to engage with the community you will naturally meet new people and make new friends. Something unique about birding though is just how diverse the community is. As opposed to a mostly homogeneous group of people that all come from a similar background, with birding you will get to know people of different ages, genders, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses. While traditionally thought of as a hobby more associated with older people, birding has quickly become an interesting subject for many millennials and even people from younger generations too. One thing that’s great about the hobby is that barriers to entry are so low and it isn’t necessary to spend a lot of money on fancy equipment, there are no membership dues that must be paid to participate, and you need absolutely zero training to get started. What this boils down to is that people from all walks of life are in the birding community and you may make friends you never expected to get close to simply because of your shared love of birds.
People will ask you about birds all the time
Once you’ve been interested in birds for enough time that people start to find out about it, you will become everyone in your life’s go-to person to answer their bird questions. Or, you may even just be the recipient of their comments about birds. Your friend saw a Bald Eagle in their yard, you’re going to hear about it. A co-worker has a cardinal that keeps attacking your car mirror, you’re going to hear about it, your sister saw a bird on her vacation to Disney World, you’re going to hear about it. Essentially, you become the keeper of information on all things bird related, and just about everyone has questions or comments about birds. It’s actually kind of surprising how many people will want to chat with you about everything bird related that they’ve ever wondered about. It’s almost as if people just hold on to these questions until they run into someone with answers, so hopefully you’ll enjoy your new role in your friend group.
You’ll go to places you never expected
Birds live in some of the most picturesque and breathtaking places on the planet. Expansive Canyons, snow capped mountains, and secluded beaches are just some of the incredible places you will end up going in your search for birds. However, birds don’t just live in the most beautiful parts of the world, they also live in some of the least glamorous places too. Places you would never think about going or want to go in any other circumstance. Without birding, it’s unlikely that you’d ever find yourself at a place like a sod farm, a cemetery, or perhaps worst of all, the local landfill. As it turns out, whether it’s because of habitat specificity, available food sources, or just plain happenstance, birds show up in these places: rare birds that you’ll want to see. If you get really serious about birding, you’ll simply go where the birds are no matter what that means, and on more than one occasion you’ll look around and realize you’d never have a reason to go there if not for the birds, and maybe even appreciate it.
I remember shortly after I started birding, I was joking about never going to a landfill to look for birds and then just a few weeks later, boom a slaty backed gull shows up at the local landfill, of course I had to go chase it.
You will never not be birding
With most hobbies, you can choose when to do them and when to kind of put them down and not think about them as much. With birding, this isn’t the case. As mentioned earlier, birds end up pretty much anywhere and everywhere, meaning if you are used to looking for them, they’ll still catch your attention nomatter what you’re doing. When you’re a full fledged birder, you’re guaranteed to notice that House Sparrow that’s found its way into the airport, or the pigeons flying over the stadium where you’re watching your favorite sports team, and don’t even get me started on vacations in a place you’ve never gone birding in. You’ll certainly be paying attention to the local birds, possibly to the chagrin of your family who just want to enjoy the national parks without stopping every 15 minutes to look at a sparrow.
While each and every hobby has a chance to alter your life in ways both big and small, birding more than most has the chance to completely revolutionize it; and usually, it will be for the better. Has birding changed your life? Let us know how in the comments below, and be sure to take a look at some of our other videos about the world of birding. Thanks for watching, we’’ll see you next time, on Badgerland Birding.
Owls are among the most mysterious and charismatic birds in the world. Well known for their nocturnal nature, usage in pop culture, and haunting vocalizations, everybody is aware of owls, but there is so much more to them than meets the eye. Here are 5 things you may not know about Owls.
1. They Don’t Actually Have “Eyeballs”
There are so many absolutely wild things about the biology of Owls. One of the most shocking to me at least is that owls don’t actually have eyeballs. At least not as we think of them. For most animals including humans, the spherical shaped eyes allow for the eye to move within the socket and thus see a wide field of view even without moving the head. Owls’ eyes are not spherical but rather cylindrical or tube shaped. Not only that but they are rigidly held in place, meaning owls can’t move their eyes like other animals can, but instead rely on moving their head to change their field of view. In fact, Owls can turn their head up to 270 degrees. While it isn’t the 360 degrees that myths about owls portray it to be, It’s very impressive, nonetheless.
2. Owls Can Hunt by Sound Alone
While owls eyes are unique, their hearing is something else entirely. Unlike most animals with symmetrical ears, owls have asymmetrical ears that better collect sound. In addition to that, their large facial disks funnel sound into their ears, working like a satellite dish.This adaptation allows them to hear prey items in complete darkness. It even helps them hear small animals moving underneath the snow. If you ever see wings patterns in the snow, it’s likely you’re looking at a place where an owl plunged into the snow to try and catch a small mammal.
3. Not All Owls “Hoot”
The typical sound associated with owls is the “hoot.” And to be fair, there are owls that make a hooting noise. Most notably the very common Great-horned Owl which many people encounter if they live near even a somewhat wooded area. That being said, Owls make some incredibly varied noises. For example, Barred Owls make the classic who cooks for you noise that can be heard throughout swamps and deciduous forests. Barn Owls make a blood curdling scream, and burrowing owls make chattering noises and even make a rattling noise that is believed to imitate a rattlesnake when they feel threatened. To name a few more, Saw whet owls make a slow toot toot noise while Short-eared Owls sound like they’re barking. With all of this variety, if you hear a strange noise coming from the woods, it just might be an owl. If you’re interested in learning about different noises owls make, we have a video for you that I’ll put in the description.
4. They Aren’t All Nocturnal
People tend to think about owls as nocturnal animals and while that is certainly the case for most species, there are a fair amount that aren’t nocturnal or at least aren’t entirely nocturnal. The reason for this is that like all other types of birds, owls are extremely variable in their habits, hunting style, and niche in the environment. Let’s explore a few owls that aren’t entirely nocturnal. First, one of the most well known owls (thanks in large part to harry potter) the Snowy Owl. Snowy Owls breed in the high arctic where its sometimes light for just about every hour of the day. This means they are very used to operating during the daylight hours. Even when in the lower 48 states, Snowy Owls are active during the daytime and can be seen hunting while it’s light out. Other northern owl species like Great- Gray Owls and Northern Hawk Owls also actively hunt during the day with Hawk Owls being one of the most diurnal North American Owl species and Great Grays often being crepuscular which means most active at dawn and dusk. The bottom line is don’t be surprised if you see one of these typically nocturnal predators active during the day.
5. Their Feathers Are Built for Stealth
If you’ve ever seen an owl fly before you may have noticed something, or rather an absence of something. That something is sound. When other birds flap their wings, the sound of the air rushing over the feathers can cause quite a loud noise, but this isn’t the case with owls which are nearly silent flyers. They need to be quiet in flight not only to sneak up on prey, but because so much of their hunting is done by sound and if their own wings were too loud, they couldn’t pin point prey items. Owls are able to move around so quietly because their feathers have structures such as fringes on the edges that break up air turbulence and soften noise. There’s more to it than just that but that could be an entire video entirely.
Owls are truly amazing animals that are both mysterious and captivating. And I hope you learned a few things you didn’t already know about them. If you liked this video take a look at one of our other owl videos or other videos about bird facts. Thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.
Chickadees are some of the most common and recognizable backyard birds in North America. Not only are they easy to find, but they’re also easy to love. Here are five reasons that I love Chickadees, and you should too!
They’re Vocal
Chickadees are definitely recognizable when it comes to what they look like, but they also make some of the most familiar vocalizations. Chickadees are chatty little birds and they make many different noises. However, the one they are most well known for is their namesake chickadee call that you will often hear around forests and in backyards. Another familiar vocalization is their “cheeseburger” song that in my experience they tend to use on warmer days in winter and as spring draws nearer. For that reason I call it the chickadee spring time song. These cheerful little sounds the chickadees make are extremely endearing and also nostalgic as I can remember hearing the same sounds when I was a kid.
They’re Friendly
From personal experience I can tell you that different bird species have different levels of curiosity when it comes to humans. Some birds won’t let you get anywhere near them while others are more tolerant of a human presence. This can of course be variable based on the individual of the species but overall Chickadees are on the inquisitive side and like to come investigate people. This is especially true when that person is the one that usually fills the bird feeder. They can even get comfortable enough around people to be fed by hand. Now I’m not saying you should try to train chickadees to take food from you. It can be bad for them to get used to interacting with people, but it is something that can be done which makes these little guys that much more lovable.
They’re Peaceful
If you’ve ever tried to band a Black-capped Chickadee then you would know that they can be a little vicious, especially since the trend to go right for the cuticle. BUT while they can have a bit of a fierce side, chickadees are by and large very peaceful when it comes to other birds. They are a great bird to have around yards and feeders since they usually don’t bully other birds or hog food sources since they prefer to take a seed and be on their way. Additionally they tend to travel in mixed flocks with other small birds like titmice and even warblers, and that proves it to the haters out there, chickadees are peaceful.
They’re Always Around
You know that one friend who’s always there for you? In the bird world, that friend is the chickadee. I mean this in multiple ways. First, Most chickadees don’t do much in terms of migratory movements and tend to stay in the same area year-round. That means you can hang out with your backyard chickadees during any and every major holiday. Another way that Chickadees are always there for you is the fact that some species of chickadee lives in just about every corner of the United States. From the Black-capped Chickadee of the northeast, to the chestnut backed chickadee of the pacific northwest, it’s likely that some variety of this familiar bird will be there.
They’re Small but Hardy
Many small bird species migrate south during the winter, but Chickadees reside in cold climates year round. One would think that such a small bird would struggle to survive, chickadees however have some remarkable adaptations to deal with the cold. First, they molt into a thicker coat of feathers and actually form a layer of fat for the winter. Additionally, since chickadees need to eat continuously in winter, they hide thousands of food items and remarkably, their brain even changes to allow them to better remember exactly where they put those food items. There are even more adaptations they have such as having a naturally high body temperature that they can altar by going into state called torpor that puts them into what is essentially a hibernation during particularly cold days. Overall, the way these small birds handle tough temperatures is astounding.
Chickadees are among the first birds that many people see around their homes and in their yards, and even though they’re common, they’re extremely loveable. If you liked this video, take a look at another one of our videos about birds and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.
Owls are birds that both birders and non birders are captivated by. While seeing an owl can certainly be a magical experience, finding one can be incredibly difficult if you don’t know how to do it. There is a lot of information out there about how to locate these amazing creatures, but a lot of them don’t really paint a true picture. In this video I’m going to tell you the truth about how to find owls in the wild.
When it boils down to it there are really five ways to find an owl in the wild and to be honest, these are the things that most people won’t tell you. Here it goes.
Number 1: It’s better to be lucky than good
There are a lot of people that aren’t even birders that get to see owls. That’s because it really just boils down to luck sometimes. There have been a lot of times I was out birding and owls weren’t even on my radar when suddenly, a notice one near the base of a tree or I hear one vocalizing from somewhere. This also happens when I’m not even birding. There have been so many times I’ve just been walking around my neighborhood, especially in the winter when it gets dark earlier and boom the neighborhood great horned owls start hooting back and forth. So luck does play a huge role in finding owls, but there are things you can do to stack the deck in your favor.
Number Two: It pays to get familiar with the species
You can help yourself out a lot by knowing about the species of owl you’re looking for. Like all birds, owls can be very habitat specific and won’t readily be found outside of their habitat preference. For example, if you’re hoping to find a Snowy Owl, you shouldn’t spend time looking in the forest, you should scour open fields. However, if you want to find a screech owl, then looking for open tree cavities in the forest would absolutely give you a great chance of success. Additionally, you will want to know what time of year the owls are in the area you’re looking in or if they’re in that region at all. You can spend as much time searching the right area as you want but if its the wrong time of year then you’re just spinning your wheels. Some other things to know are when the birds you’re looking for is most active, what they usually eat, what specific trees they prefer to roost in. What I’m saying is you will greatly improve your odds of finding an owl if you become familiar with the specific species you’re looking for.
Number 3: Re-finding known birds gives you a huge edge
While it’s really fun and rewarding to find an owl on your own, you’ll greatly increase your chances if you take advantage of the fact that other people are out there trying to find them too, a lot of people. There are many groups in which information on bird sightings are shared; state specific groups on facebook, discord servers, telegram, and more. WHile you can get great information from these sources, my favorite is ebird. EBird has searchable information from every report submitted and allows you to search based on species. You can also set alerts for birds you need on your year list, lifelist, or that are rare for the state. If you want to learn more about how to use it, you can take a look at our video about how to find any bird you want using ebird, i’ll put a link in the description below.
Number 4: New technology is basically cheating
Some amazing technology has come out to aid birders and one of them is the thermal monocular. Thermal monoculars help to see heat signatures and are a game changer when trying to spot a well camouflaged living creature concealed by branches. They’re also useful at night when you otherwise wouldn’t have a way to see the birds around you. If you’re a big nocturnal bird person then thermal technology might be right for you.
Number 5: There is an in crowd and you need to be part of it
The truth about refinding owls is that people can often be tight-lipped about where to go to see owls, especially certain species that are rare or sensitive.As much as it would be nice if everyone in the birding community had access to information about owl locations that’s simply just not the case. A lot of times, when people find owls, they will simply not share that sighting or share the sighting without the location. This happens for two reasons, the first is that since owls are a desirable species to see, yet also sensitive to human intrusion, the person wants to protect them. The other is simply that they want to keep that bird location to themselves so they can go back and photograph it day after day. That being said, people out there know where to find owls and if you get intel from the in crowd, you’ll see a lot of owls. I wish it wasn’t the case but sadly it is.
As I said, there are a lot of things out there telling you how to find these beautiful birds but these 5 truths are really everything you need to know. If you liked this video, take a look at another one of our videos about owls and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.
the GlobeAcross the globe, people have reported encounters with things they can’t explain. Screaming spirits, winged beings, and glowing eyes in the night are just some of the things that have unnerved humans for centuries. Could all of these things be traced back to one living creature that is based in science and nature rather than the paranormal or demonic?
In Irish folklore exists a wailing ghost known as a banshee. Dressed all in white with a pale face and deep dark sunken eyes, banshees are female spirits that scream a ghastly blood curdling sound that serves as a warning that death is approaching. Some reports say that banshees fly around the home of someone doomed to die, screaming and shrieking, if one is seen, they will disappear into a cloud of fog or mist leaving no evidence that the ghoul was ever there.
Throughout Irish, Scottish, and Welsh history banshees are mentioned and even in modern times, reports of screaming spirits still sometimes come in with a somewhat recent account occurring in June of 2014. So what explanation could possibly account for such a phenomenon?
Meet the Barn Owl, a bird with an underside of white, a large heart shaped face, and deep dark eyes. True to their name, these birds spend their days in barns, old human habitations, thick trees, and brushy areas. They feed on small mammals and patrol open spaces under the cover of nightfall hunting for prey.
Nocturnal animals have always captured the imagination as they thrive in the darkness that served as a source of uncertainty and fear for our ancestors. It makes sense birds like owls could potentially be confused for some other sort of less natural winged creature. However, how could an albeit kind of cute, kind of creepy Barn owl possibly be responsible for the legend of the banshee? Well, first, Barn Owls live all across the world in nearly every continent. That puts them at the scene where the legend was first created. Second, take a listen to the noises the make.
The call, song, scream of the Barn Owl is one of the most shocking and ear piercing sounds of any nocturnal bird species and would certainly be alarming to hear in the middle of the night if didn’t know what it was.
So the Barn owl has the tools and lives in the right place to be responsible for the legend of the banshee, but how would people not realize it was an owl making these sounds and not an ancient harbinger of death?
There are a few possibilities to how the legend may have started. It’s likely that the first way it began was with people hearing the scream of a Barn Owl before someone died. Some people hypothesize that soldiers marching into war at night would hear the owls and obviously people would die soon after because of the ensuing battle. Another potential origin story is that people weren’t often up too late into the night back when the legends first began. There was no electricity, so when it was dark, people would go to bed, unless there was a reason to be up, such as someone who needed to be tended to because of illness. People awake in a home caring for an ill family member would hear the nocturnal Barn Owl, and shortly after, the sick family member would pass away, creating a correlation.
Human beings are always looking for meaning and reason. Over time, enough people probably had an experience like this , and maybe even in conjuncture with seeing a white, dark-eyed silhouette flying around outside, and believed it to be something supernatural. Of course there was no internet, no phone, and no social media, so there was no way to figure out what was actually going on in these situations, so people had to try and piece it together the best they could. What they came up with was a screaming spirit that comes to warn of death on the horizion.
Over the years other paranormal or cryptozoological reports have been blamed on owls as well, the Jersey Devil and mothman just to name a few. So what do you think? Was the Barn Owl responsible for reports of the notorious Banshee or is something else lurking in the hills of the UK. Let us know in the comments below. Also, if you want to learn more about nighttime bird noises, check one of these videos out and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.
There are many different bird species in North America that are revered for their beauty and personality. However, there are also those that are reviled. Many of these species are non-native and have a habit of taking over areas previously inhabited by native birds. There is one native species however, that was here all along, and wasn’t a big problem until humans made it so.
This is the Brown-headed Cowbird. At first glance they look like any other bird. Males have a namesake brown head and a glossy black body and females are covered entirely in a light grayish brown color. These birds thrive in open areas such as fields, cattle pastures, agricultural farms and backyards. In fact, most backyard bird watchers are probably quite familiar with the species.
If Brown-headed Cowbirds aren’t non-native then what’s the problem with these familiar birds? It all has to do with the way they raise their young, or rather don’t raise their young. Brown-headed Cowbirds are brood parasites, meaning they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds leaving their young to be raised by a completely different species. The surrogate parents are unaware that their nest has been parasitized by the cowbird and raise the cowbird as their own. While this may sound like a sweet story of adoption and acceptance, it most certainly is not. Cowbirds hatch faster than most other bird species and also grow at a faster rate, meaning they easily outcompete their nestmates. Sometimes cowbirds will even push eggs and nestlings of other species out of the nest to ensure their greatest chance for survival.
While this certainly seems mean, it’s an adaptation that actually makes a lot of sense given the cowbirds lifestyle. It’s believed that Brown-headed Cowbirds used to follow herds of bison as they moved across the great plains of the United States, eating insects that also followed the herd or got kicked up from the grass by the large animals. This more nomadic lifestyle meant that they couldn’t stay in one place to make a nest and raise young, thus brood parasitism became the norm for the species.
Brown-headed Cowbirds can still be seen following Buffalo and Cattle across the plains, but now their range has expanded both east and west to the point where it now engulfs the entirety of the lower 48 states, Southern Canada, and a large portion of Mexico. Much of this expansion was actually a side effect of humans expanding. Since Cowbirds like open areas such as fields and lawns, the more farms and homes that popped up, the more habitat was made for cowbirds to thrive. Another way in which humans accidentally aided the brown headed cowbird was by offering them seeds. This was partially due to agricultural practices leaving seed crops in fields, and partially due to the rise of backyard bird feeding. With a more than adequate amount of seeds to supply Cowbirds with sustenance coupled with their preferred habitat, the species no longer needed to follow bison and other large animals across the country. However, their habit of laying their eggs in the nests of other birds remained.
What started as a necessary adaptation has turned into something of an ecological disaster as Brown headed Cowbirds reside in the same place for the duration of the breeding season, wreaking havoc on nearby breeding birds. They have proved detrimental to many different species, most notably the endangered Black-capped Vireo and Kirtlands Warbler. This has become such a problem in areas such as the jack pines that the Kirtlands warblers breed in, that efforts have begun catching and removing combirds to prevent them from destroying broods of the endangered warblers.
While cowbirds are most detrimental to at-risk species, they are a nuisance to almost all birds in areas they inhabit as over 200 different species of birds have been found to have nests parasitized by brown headed cowbirds.
All of this has led to backyard bird lovers and ecologists despising the Brown-headed Cowbird, but can we really blame them? After all it was humans that changed the landscape so much that it actually altered the lifestyle of the species entirely.
Nonetheless, Brown-headed Cowbirds pose a unique problem for other birds as well as the humans that care about them. Since they are a native bird, it is illegal to kill them, and removing cowbird eggs from nests is said to sometimes be met with retribution by the cowbird mother. Some types of birds recognize the cowbird eggs and abandon the nest, or destroy the foreign egg. Most however, can’t spot the difference and end up raising a cowbird that directly or indirectly destroys the original brood.
So what can be done about the Brown-headed Cowbird and the destruction they bring upon other bird species? In some places where sensitive species are nesting, efforts to catch and remove cowbirds are in effect. Other than that, there isn’t much that can be done. It looks like for the foreseeable future, brown headed Cowbirds will be a part of life for birds, and backyard bird watchers across the country.
At their core, these birds are just doing what it takes to pass on their genes, ensuring that the species will endure the test of time. They are birds that developed an ingenious adaptation, that has now been rendered unnecessary by the development of human civilization and yet still it persists. Sure, many people love to hate them, but the Brown headed Cowbird is here to stay, and we’re all just going to have to learn to live with them.
If you liked this video leave us a like and a comment. Also, check out our video on how the House Sparrow spread across North America. Thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time, on Badgerland Birding.
In k-Pop Demon Hunters, Sussie is depicted as a creature that can go between the human world and the demon world, always spending time with a goofy looking blue tiger. This pairing while it may seem strange is actually an homage to traditional Korean political art in which the tiger was drawn as a dopey looking animal representative of political leaders while the magpie was representative of the people, intelligent and cunning. In some of these depictions, the tiger is wearing a hat, which in k-pop demon hunters, is taken and worn by sussie the magpie instead.
Now that we know sussie is a magpie, what is it about magpies that make them such cool birds. For starters, they don’t just live in Eurasia but all the way across the ocean in North America too..
If you live in the US but still want to see a magpie like sussie, I have good news for you! There are two species of magpies that live in the United States, the Yellow-billed Magpie that can only be found in California and the Black billed Magpie that lives year round throughout much of the western United states and looks extremely similar to the Asian Magpie. There are also several other magpie species that live all over the world, so if you want to see sussie in real life, you can certainly go out and find a magpie in real life.
Additionally, magpies are very smart and have found ways to live in areas inhabited by humans, often feeding on scraps of food left behind by people. In fact, for people in the western US, these birds are probably a familiar sight around farms, and other areas where they can get free food.
Overall, k-pop Demon hunters did a solid job of depicting the magpie both getting the general appearance fairly accurate, but also by understanding its traditional importance to Korea both in art, and mythology.
If you haven’t seen it yet, go check it out and let us know what you think in the comments below.
If you liked this video, take a look at one of our other videos about birds, and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.
Florida is a state that definitely has its own vibe. While this is definitely true of its human inhabitants, in this case its the wildlife that I’m talking about, in particular, the birds. While the sunshine state is home to tons of different birds, there are some that truly embody the state more than others. Dare I say, they are downright iconic. What dictates an iconic bird species? It’s one that everyone thinks of when they think of the state or region. Whether its due to their habitat specificity, rarity, or simply their coloration, here are five birds that rise above the rest as iconic birds of Florida, and species that you should definitely be on the lookout for when birding there.
Purple Gallinule
If you get a clear look at a Purple Gallinule, it would be very difficult to misidentify it. They are one of the few North American birds that are actually purple, but in addition to that, they have lustrous green backs with shades of blue mixed in as well as bright yellow legs and what can best be described as a candy corn bill. The problem is that these secretive birds may not always be easy to view, as they tend to spend time hidden in low vegetation in swamps and marshes. Additionally, while Purple Gallinules are found throughout much of South America and in parts of Mexico year-round, in the United States they are much more limited in range, only living in states around the gulf coast, and for most of those states, only seasonally. By far, the easiest place to find these colorful birds is in Florida where they reside year round. Not only is Florida the best place to have a sighting though but it’s also the best to see them up close. So close in fact that it’s almost ridiculous. Going to some of the many marshes and wetlands in the central and southern parts of the state will provide the best looks you’re going to get of Purple Gallinules right off the path. The Purple Gallinules limited range, seemingly increased boldness in Florida, and their magnificent coloration is why this species finds itself on the list.
Roseate Spoonbill
The second bird on our list is another that has some incredibly bright colors. Roseate Spoonbills are one of the most unique looking birds in the country. Sporting a bright pink and white color palette, these birds could really only be confused with Flamingos and that confusion is alleviated once you get a look at that namesake spoon shaped bill. These large wading birds can be found throughout much of South America and the Caribbean. They frequent the coasts of Mexico during the winter months and do have a range in the Gulf Coast of the United States that includes Texas, and Louisiana among others. Florida is another state that holds populations of Roseate Spoonbills year round, and just like with the Purple Gallinule, it’s quite possible that there’s no better place in the continental US to view them than in the sunshine state. In many of the same places that have Purple Gallinules, there are ample opportunities to see Roseate Spoonbills at extremely close range. You can also find them nesting in some of these areas as well. Overall, the fact that Roseate Spoonbills are so easily found in Florida, combined with the fact that they are so bright in color makes them an iconic bird of the state.
Limpkin
Limpkins are very strange birds. They look like herons and kind of act like them too, but they are actually more closely related to rails and cranes. They have a curved bill that they use as a tool to pull their primary food source, snails, from their shell, and the noise they make is something of a scream that can be heard at all hours of the day and night. Making them even more funny is the fact that they got their name from the way they move around with what appears to be a limp. In terms of range, Limpkins can be found throughout most of South America, Mexico, and the Carribean, but in the United States, they were for the longest time known as a Florida specialty species since they couldn’t be found in any other state. This has changed in recent years as an expansion in apple snail populations has allowed these birds to expand as well. However, when thinking about Limpkins, Florida is still the first place in the US you think of and it’s still a great place to find them. Making this goofy and weird bird a state icon.
Snail Kite
Much like Limpkins, Snail Kites rely on the exact same food source, apple snails, to survive. For that reason they have a similar range to limpkins as well, including South America, the Carribean, and Mexico. Where their range differs is that in the United States, they haven’t expanded like the Limpkin and can only be found in the state of Florida. This means they are absolutely one of the most desirable birds to find in the state for visiting birders. To locate Snail Kites, travel to the sunshine state and look for swampy areas with plenty of Snails and keep an eye out for these agile raptors perched over the water or actively hunting. The fact that these regal raptors can only be found in Florida, mixed with the specificity of food and habitat, makes the Snail Kites one of the most Iconic birds in the state.
Florida Scrub-Jay
Out of all of the birds that can be found in Florida, one rises above the rest as the most iconic bird species. That bird is the Florida Scrub Jay. With a gray body, blue wings, blue head, and blue necklace on their chest, these spiffy looking birds are Florida’s only endemic species, meaning that they can’t be found anywhere else on earth. Unfortunately, these jays are federally threatened and listed as a 20 out of 20 on the continental concern score. This is in large part due to habitat fragmentation and the destruction of tracts of oak scrub that the jays need to survive. The good news however, is that work is being done in many parts of Florida to monitor and preserve the species. This also means that even though in the grand scheme of things Florida Scrub-Jays are rare, if you know where to look, they are actually very easy to find, and typically very friendly because of how often they see scientists and conservationists coming to check on them. Overall, the fact that Florida Scrub-jays are rare, charismatic, and only found in Florida, makes them the most iconic bird in the state.
American Flamingo
There’s one more bonus bird that has to be mentioned when talking about Florida: The American Flamingo. Flamingos were once native to Florida and well known as a state icon. Unfortunately, throughout the 1900s their numbers in the state dwindled until they were completely gone from the wild midway through the century. Flamingos would be sighted in the state from time to time, but all of these sightings were presumed to be of birds that escaped captivity. Fast forward to 2018 and a study was done that confirmed that wild flamingos were indeed living in Florida. Since then, the state has once again become the only place to reliably find these majestic, pink birds in the United States. It will take a bit of time to see what the Flamingo populations in Florida will do. This uncertainty is why they are listed here as a bonus bird, but they are certainly an iconic bird species that right now can be found in Florida.
Florida is a beautiful state with tons of places to explore and unique birds to see, but these five stand above the rest as the most iconic. Are there any birds we missed? Let us know in the comments below, and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time, on Badgerland Birding.
