While the summer is a fun time for a lot of different activities, in terms of birding, it can feel like a bit of a dead zone. Migration has all but ceased and many species seem to disappear altogether. It’s the time of the year when birders sometimes even just shut it down and focus on other things. We dub this part of the birding year the summer slump. However, during the latter half of August, things start to change. The slowness of summer gives way to the absolute excitement of fall which in my opinion is one of the best seasons in birding. Here are 5 reasons birding in fall is incredibly fun.

Migratory Flights

In spring, millions of birds make their way from their southern wintering grounds into their northern breeding areas. What goes up must come down, and this is true of birds as well, meaning millions of birds are also moving around in the fall as well. Some of these species move under the cover of nightfall but others are extremely conspicuous with their flights. Some obvious species that start moving around are Canada Geese and Sandhill Cranes, which certainly are something to see when large flocks of them are honking and traveling through the air, but there are other species that create even more of a spectacle. Here is one of them, the common nighthawk. During a few select days a year these acrobatic aerial insectivores can be seen filling the sky in the early evening swooping and swirling around en route to their southern breeding areas. In addition to nighthawks, regular hawks are also making their way south. In fact, this is a great time of the year to participate in hawk watches which are essentially gatherings to view and count the individual birds and species seen flying overhead with hawks in particular being on the move. One species to note is the broad-winged Hawk migrates in massive groups giving birders the chance to see their large flocks kettling up above during fall.

Sparrows

In many parts of the country, fall is sparrow season as these small, often secretive birds are on the move. Some particular species essentially disappear into their breeding areas for the summer and then reappear in September and October. Some of these migratory species that birders covet in particular are Nelson’s Sparrows, and the large and beefy Harris’s Sparrows that make their way into the continental US during this time. In addition to these species, birds that are much more common in the winter like Dark-eyed Juncos and American Tree Sparrows also start popping up in large numbers. Overall, fall is a great time of the year to see sparrows that have been gone for the summer, and if you know where to look, you can find some rare ones.

Shorebirds

Late summer and early fall are when shorebirds start making their way out of their northern breeding areas en route to their wintering grounds. Shorebirds are a broad group of birds generally categorized together for their habit of spending their time near shallow waters such as lake and ocean shores. They can also be found in muddy or flooded fields. Some species travel all the way from the high arctic to the southern parts of south America. During their migration, they show up in a variety of places in the continental United States. Buff-breasted Sandpipers, American Golden Plovers, Black-bellied plovers are just a few of the species that can be seen during this fall shorebird migration. While shorebirds certainly can be found in spring migration, fall offers some unique opportunities to see species that are actually more common during the southern migration than the northern and are definitely an exciting part of the fall.

Change in conditions

While some people love the hot summer weather, fall brings in cooler temperatures much more pleasant to go out in. In addition to some nice variation in temperature, many of the biting insects which serve as a major deterrent to birding in the heart of the summer, are gone. Both of these things make the time spent outdoors a lot more fun than during the summer but there are some other changes that make this time of the year special as well. In many parts of the country, fall weather also brings in the colors. Trees starting to go dormant for the winter lose their green chlorophyll, leaving behind brilliant yellows, oranges, and Reds. The beauty of this season mixed with the energy of animals getting ready for the winter leads to a wistful kind of beauty in the world, making for an excellent backdrop for a birding adventure.

Warblers are back 

While spring is usually thought of as the time to see warblers, birders actually have the chance to catch them on the way south in the fall too. Depending on the exact part of the country, most of the same species that can be seen in spring can be seen in the fall with some particular species being even more abundant due to the different migratory paths they take. There is one caveat however, many of these warblers no longer sport their extremely bright breeding plumage, but rather a more drab nonbreeding plumage. Even so, its really fun to be able to get another look at these energetic little birds. Plus, if you happened to miss seeing something like a Cape May or Bay breasted warbler in the spring, this could be your time to add them to your year list.

Fall is certainly a season that can provide some unique birding opportunities. The combination of millions of birds moving across North America, the changes weather, and beautiful views create an incredible energy in the air. What’s your favorite part of birding in the fall? Let us know in the comments below. Also, If you liked this video, check out one of these videos about birding in fall, and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on badgerland birding.

Cowbirds are among the most common bird species around farms and backyards. While at first glance they look like a normal blackbird, there are many things about them that actually make them incredibly unique. Here are five things you may not know about cowbirds.

1. They’re Parasites

This is something that many people likely already know, but it’s important to go over to lay the foundation for other wild facts about cowbirds. Cowbirds are brood parasites, meaning they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, leaving the chicks to be raised by a completely different species. To ensure their survival, their chicks grow faster than the chicks of other birds, meaning they will outcompete the parents’ own hatchlings. In the United States, Brown-headed cowbirds have been documented doing this to the nests of over 200 different bird species, and do present a problem for many of them. It’s believed that cowbirds adopted this strategy to follow herds of large animals moving across the plains and open spaces in western North America. Moving with large animals meant they couldn’t stay in one palace to make a nest and raise young so they found a creative solution. Some people debate this, as the reason for their nesting strategy but either way it resulted in this unique behavior. Over the years, humans made North America more suitable for cowbirds, clearing land and creating backyard feeding stations, allowing them to hang out in one place and parasitise birds all across the continent.

2. There Is More Than One Species

The cowbird species that most people are familiar with is the Brown-headed Cowbird. They are common throughout most of the United States and show up often around back yards, parks, and gardens. There are actually two other cowbird species that live in the United States and a few more in other countries as well. The Shiny Cowbird lives throughout South America and has a little bit of a range in the United States, primarily in southern Florida. The Bronzed Cowbird is probably the type of cowbird seen most in the US aside from the Brown headed Cowbird. They can be found in many of the southern states with South Texas being one of the most notable places to find them. Something cool about them is that they have a distinctive red eye and males have feathers on their neck that they can puff up, giving them something of a hooded appearance. Another interesting thing about them is that they’ve expanded their range northward and now overlap in range with other cowbird species. In fact, both Bronzed and Brown headed cowbird eggs have been found in the same nest. It will be interesting to see how the North American cowbird species exist together going forward.

3. They Don’t Learn Behaviors

Most animals, including many birds, learn their behaviors from their parents. When birds hatch, they imprint on their parents, learning what species they are, and developing a sense of identity. For this reason when raising certain species in captivity, puppets or sometimes full costumes are used during feedings to make sure young birds don’t imprint on humans. If they do imprint on humans then they can’t be released into the wild so imprinting is a pretty serious thing. This is the case for Whoopings cranes as well as a whole host of other birds. With cowbirds however, this isn’t the case at all. Since the eggs are deposited in another nest and raised by a completely different species, cowbirds learn almost nothing from their what we’ll call “unintentionally adoptive parents”. When they become adults, they are equipped with all of the skills a cowbird needs including the cowbird song, mating display, and parasitic nesting that they’re known for. All of this behavior is inherently woven into the bird without them ever learning from parents or other cowbirds/ This is absolutely remarkable and adds an interesting wrinkle into the nature vs nurture debate.

4. Females Are Incredibly Drab

It’s quite common for female birds to be significantly less colorful than the males. The reason for this has to do with the fact that it’s better for them to stay hidden while on their nests. Cowbirds take this a step further with females being possibly the most drab and nondescript of all bird species. This is because they need to sneak into the nests of other birds undetected. Moving like a ninja or a secret agent, female cowbirds are able to infiltrate a nest while the parents aren’t looking and add their own eggs into the clutch. If they were more brightly colored, this would be a much more difficult feat. In fact, even humans have trouble spotting female cowbirds sometimes, especially if they’re hanging out in shrubs and brush. You will get a look at them at bird feeders though where you may at first wonder what exactly you’re looking at.

5. Illegal to Harm

Cowbirds seem like they would be an invasive and nonnative species due to the way they gather around feeders in large numbers and cause problems for other birds. However, they are actually a native migratory bird which means they are protected from being harassed or harmed by the migratory bird treaty act. So to anyone out there commenting about how you want to shoot them when they’re at your bird feeder, that is in fact actually illegal. However, there are places where cowbirds have to be managed such as kirtlands warbler habitat where cowbirds invading nests would be detrimental to the health of the species. The biggest take away here is that even though cowbirds, especially brown headed cowbirds are problematic in some places, since they are native to North America, they are still a protected species.

Cowbirds are certainly unique birds that are now common around homes and gardens but there is still more to them than meets the eye.

Pigeons are one of the most if not the most common birds in cities across not just North America but the entire world. For this reason, these birds are often overlooked and under appreciated for just how incredible they really are. Here are five things you may not know about Pigeons and stick around for the last one because it’s pretty crazy.

1. Extreme Athletes

When they’re just walking around parks and cities, pigeons look like they would be clunky and slow fliers but this is far from the truth. Due to a combination of extremely strong chest muscles that actually make up around 20 to 30 percent of their body weight, and an efficient respiratory system, pigeons can fly extremely fast. On average a typical pigeon can fly between 50 and 60 miles per hour, but some individuals, especially racing pigeons have been clocked at over 90 miles per hour, even reaching 100 miles per hour. While even these speeds can’t put them in the same category as supreme fliers like peregrine falcons, it’s still extremely impressive.

2. One of the oldest domesticated birds

The feral pigeon that people know today originated from a bird called the Rock Dove native to parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Part of the reason they’ve been able to spread across the world is that they were one of the first domesticated birds. There are actually a lot of different numbers thrown out there about just how long ago these first domestications happened, but it seems like it’s somewhere between 5000 and 10000 years in Mesopotamia and Northern Africa. These birds were originally domesticated for a reliable source of food, but over time they became useful beyond just eating as they were eventually used for sending messages, as pets, and even as a status symbol. Pigeons were eventually brought to other countries and continents including the Americas in the 1600s and are now found on every continent with the exception of Antarctica.

3. There are tons of varieties

When the word pigeon is mentioned, of course the typical rock pigeon is the one that gets mentioned, but in reality, there are many different types of pigeons across the globe. Some like the band-tailed pigeon live in parts of the Western United States, while other more extravagant looking ones like the Victoria Crowned Pigeon which is the largest living pigeon is native to New Guinea and the surrounding area. Going back to the domesticated rock pigeons though, they alone have multitudes of variants, selectively bred for specific purposes. There are pigeons designed specifically for speed and acrobatic flight, some designed to maximize the amount of meat they produce, and as is the case with most domesticated animals, some designed for beauty, sporting extravagant and exaggerated features. All of these specialized pigeon varieties lead to some birds with fascinating colors and appearances.

4. They’re war heroes

I’ve covered a little bit about how useful pigeons can be for people, but you might be surprised to learn that some pigeons are known for their contributions to war. During some of the most notable wars in human history including world war 1 and world war 2, carrier or homing pigeons were used to deliver vital messages across enemy lines. Before drones and unmanned aircraft were even invented, pigeons were an obvious choice due to their speed, endurance, and ability to make their way back to their roost. Possibly the most well known war-time pigeon is Cher Ami, a homing pigeon active during world war 1 and credited with delivering a message that saved soldiers of the lost battalion. Purported to have survived heavy gunfire, sustaining a bullet to the chest and needing to have a leg amputated, Cher Ami was awarded multiple medals of honor and lived out the rest of his days in the US and retired from duty. This particular incident is just one of many harrowing accounts of pigeons being instrumental during war.

5. They know Art

You may be surprised to find out that pigeons are actually really smart with cognitive abilities even rivaling primates. One of the wildest things I found out about pigeons is that according to studies, they can actually recognize and categorize works by different artists. In a study by Japanese researches, pigeons were trained to be able to tell the difference between impressionist artwork by monet and cubist artwork by picasso. The pigeons weren’t just remembering the paintings though, because they could even tell the difference between the two styles with paintings they had never been shown before. To make it even crazier is that trained pigeons could even tell the difference between these artists and other artists that painted in the same style. They could also discern between art that was considered to be good vs bad although this is a bit more complicated because of how subjective it is. I could go on about these studies all day because of how fascinating they are, but the bottom line is that pigeons have unbelievable cognitive abilities and apparently make great art critics.

One last thing I wanted to throw in there as a bonus fact too is that they’ve actually been trained to recognize cancerous cells in pathology images. They can do this with a success rate equal to that of humans which is almost unbelievable.

Pigeons will probably continue to be maligned for just how common they are, but there are so many reasons to appreciate them for the incredible animals that they really are. I hope you learned something about them that you didn’t already know and if you liked this video, consider becoming part of our membership program and signing up for our email list to never miss an update. I’ll put a link in the description below. As always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time, on Badgerland Birding.

Out of all of the birds in the animal kingdom I think its fair to say that falcons are some of the coolest. Sleek, streamlined, and fast, these hunters are definitely the fighter jets of the bird world. While most people know what falcons are, there are many things that many people don’t know about them that actually make them even more amazing. Here are five things you didn’t know about Falcons.

1. They’re Diverse and Specialized

When talking about falcons, this is the bird that most people probably picture in their mind, the Peregrine Falcon. It makes sense since Peregrine Falcons are widespread and often seen around humans, but in reality, there are around 60 falcon species across the globe and several different species  that can be found in the United States. Many of these birds look and act extremely differently from one another. For instance, the American Kestrel is quite different in coloration from the rest with oranges and blues. The crested caracara is in the same family as falcons but doesn’t act like it at all, preferring to walk along the ground and scavenge for food rather than using aerial acrobatics to catch quick moving prey. Then there’s the aptly named Bat Falcon that lives in central and south american and as you might have guessed, specializes in catching bats. There are even more specific types of falcons than these though, like the prairie falcon that hunts the canyons and mesas of America’s western states and the well camouflage gyrfalcon that lives in the most northern parts of the world. Overall, falcons are extremely well specialized and can be vastly different from one another.

2. They hold Speed Records

Out of all animals, a falcon holds the record for being the fastest in the world. The Peregrine Falcon typically cruises around the sky at a speed of around 25 to 35 miles per hour. It’s when they dive for prey though that the pace really picks up. During these dives known as stoops. Peregrines can reach speeds that exceed 240 miles per hour with some reports even having that number close to 250. That’s faster than an F1 race car. Going this fast should theoretically cause severe damage to the falcon, but these birds have special adaptations that prevent this from happening including specialized structures in their nostrils that redirect air and prevent their lungs from bursting. Other falcons fly fast too with Gyrfalcons and prairie falcons diving at a top speed around 150 miles per hour and small falcons like merlins having a cruising speed between 30 and 50 miles per hour.

3. They’re Killing Machines

Speed is of course an extremely useful thing to have when hunting prey, but falcons have way more in their arsenal than just that. Falcons are equipped with incredible visual processing skills, allowing them to see objects and movement even when they’re traveling at high speeds. In terms of weaponry, falcons don’t just rely on talons to subdue prey but also a special sharp projection on their bill that shears through tissue and even small bones. Back to the peregrine falcon for a minute, they actually use their feet when hunting at their trade mark high speeds to essentially punch the birds they’re their after, oftentimes knocking them out of the sky. While they aren’t the largest birds in the world, they are still extremely effective hunters that are agile enough to catch insects and yet strong enough to take down birds their size or even larger.

4. They are Conservation Success Stories

The US has had some great bird success stories in terms of conservation, from the return of the Sandhill crane to the resurgence of the Bald Eagle. A few falcon species have also had impressive success stories. The Peregrine Falcon is probably the most famous as they returned from the brink in large part due to both political and hands-on human intervention, most notably the endangered species act, the banning of ddt, and captive nesting programs. Habitat loss among other things pushed the Aplomado Falcon out of the country completely until captive breeding programs brought them back into South Texas. While they still need more monitoring, especially in the case of the Aplomado Falcon, both of these are fantastic successes that prevented two amazing species from being permanently gone from the United States.

5. They are Forever linked with humans

Whether it’s for better or worse, falcons and humans have been interacting for thousands of years and will continue to interact for a variety of reasons. First, the practice of falconry has been going on for since ancient times and in some cultures the practice was viewed as a status symbol. Second, some falcon species have now adapted to human civilizations and in some cases even rely on them. Back one more time to the Peregrine Falcon, in their natural habitat, they nest on high cliffs. However, in cities with tall buildings, Peregrines now have replaced the natural cliffs with the skyscrapers that turned out to be perfect nesting locations. Many times, people put out nest boxes for the falcons, something that has been an integral part of their recovery. Another once very common falcon that needs some help from humans is the American Kestrel. Kestrel populations have declined 50 percent overall and while not endangered yet, this has led to nest box monitoring programs. For the foreseeable future, humans and kestrels will have to be connected for the species to get back to thriving. 

Falcons are certainly amazing. From their sleek appearance to their violent hunting style, they are captivating, and I hope you learned something that you didn’t know about them. If you liked this video be sure to take a look at another of our videos on birds and birding and be sure to sign up for our email list so you never miss an update. S always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding

Out of all of the birds that are on the move during spring and fall, one that people notice first, is the killdeer. Common around areas where humans live, these birds are actually cool and have some adaptations that you’re going to want to hear about. Here are five things you may not know about killdeer

1. They build terrible nests

Some birds build truly epic nests, but the killdeer is not one of them. Killdeer nests are simple scrapes essentially a shallow depression, usually placed on or around rocks and gravel. They don’t weave sticks together or add anything to soften the ground. Although they do add pebbles and other natural items to try and disguise the eggs that are speckled to blend right in. The hope is that this camouflage is enough to prevent any predator from locating the nest. This usually works well enough, but their preferred nesting locations sometimes get them into trouble as they love building nests in parking lots and walking paths that get heavy usage by humans.

2. They use tricks to protect their young

With nests that are so exposed, Killdeer have a unique secondary strategy to try and keep their eggs and chicks safe. They employ a little deception in which the adult birds will perform a broken wing display, appearing to be in distress and making a lot of noise. THis is designed to make a predator think it can get an easy meal by catching an injured adult killdeer. As the predator starts to pursue, the bird miraculously moves further away from their nest and before the predator knows it, the killdeer makes a miraculous recovery and flies away. This display is performed by some other birds too, but the Killdeer is one of the most well known broken wing deceivers. In addition to this display, killdeer will sometimes make multiple fake nest sites to confuse predators and sometimes call from different locations away from their nest to make it harder for their real nest to be pinpointed.

3. They’re Shorebirds

When one thinks about shorebirds they usually think of a bird living along coastline, walking around sand, or perhaps wading into flooded fields. While killdeer do turn up in these places, they’re extremely common away from water in places like fields, gravel lots, and athletic fields. In spite of their preferred habitat they are in fact shorebirds and in the plover family to be specific. Other plover species can also be found away from water sometimes such as American Golden Plovers and Black-bellied Plovers that turn up each year in places like sod farms.

4. Their named for their noises

Killdeer is a weird name for a bird. However, it has nothing to do with any behaviors they exhibit and everything to do with the sounds they make. The hallmark vocalization of the killdeer sounds like they are saying killdeer. This call can be heard both while killdeer are on the ground as well as in flight and is a great way to identify them without even needing to see them.

5. Chicks are ready to go right after hatching

For many birds, it takes weeks for chicks to be big enough to actually leave the nest. For killdeer, chicks are ready to go pretty much right after hatching. Baby killdeer are precocial which means they can walk and even find food only hours after hatching from their eggs. Looking like little fuzz balls the young killdeer are led and watched over by the parents for around a month until they are able to fly and then they are officially off on their own. While the chicks are in this flightless phase, adults will use the same broken wing display as they did prior to the eggs hatching. While this happens, the chicks will freeze and hope to blend in enough to avoid detection.

Killdeer are among the birds that have adapted well to human habitation, but there is so much about them to appreciate and I hope you learned something about them that you didn’t already know. If you liked this video and want to support the channel consider signing up for our email list or membership pages, I’ll put a link to both in the description and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.

Every spring, one of the most bizarre birds in the world can be heard making its presence known at right about the time it’s too dark to see. That bird is the Woodcock also known as the timberdoodle. There are actually several species of woodcocks worldwide, but the American woodcock is the only one that is regularly found in the continental US. and while a fair number of people are familiar with these birds, far fewer people actually know just how insanely weird they really are. In this video I’m going to share 5 things with you that you may not have known about woodcocks, and be sure to stay for the last one because I think it’s going to shock you.

1. They have flexible bills

People generally think of bird bills as rigid tools used for crushing and opening food items like seeds and nuts. However, the long bill of the woodcock is actually extremely pliable, especially the end of the bill. They use this specialized appendage to pull up earthworms and other small creatures from leaf litter and even from under the soil. Possibly the most impressive thing is that woodcocks can open up the very end of the bill independently from the base of the bill, meaning they don’t need to pull their bill out of the substrate to pick food out of the ground. 

2. They are Performers

Most people encounter woodcocks not because they see them but because they hear them. Each spring, these birds perform mating displays that consist of two separate things. First, they find a nice spot in a field and start peenting. While they peent, they turn around in a circle to project that peent to as many females as possible, that’s part 1. Part two is the sky display. The woodcock flies up into the night sky, and uses specialized feathers to create unique chirping and whistling noises. They then come back down to earth where they resume peenting. In addition to these performances, they also have a funny way of looking like they’re dancing, as they rhythmically sway while they walk. This is thought to potentially cause earthworms to move beneath the ground, thus helping them find food. It also could have to do with trying to look like leaves moving in the breeze, but either way, put it to music and it looks hilarious.

3. They’re shorebirds

You may be wondering, where do woodcocks fit in when it comes to classification. They are actually grouped in with shorebirds and sandpipers in particular. This is kind of funny because they spend virtually no time on beaches and shorelines but rather in young deciduous forests, damp fields, and meadows. It’s worth noting that there is a woodcock look alike that does spend more time around where shorebirds are usually found and that’s the snipe, so if you see something that looks like a woodcock in flooded fields and pond edges it just might be a snipe instead. It’s kind of funny to have a shorebird that you need to find inland but this is the case for woodcocks. 

4. They have an outrageous field of view

One of the things that makes woodcocks look so unique is the position of their eyes. They are high and to the back of their head. This allows them to look up and watch out for potential predators while they are searching the substrate for food. Amazingly, their unique eyes actually allow them to have a 360 degree field of vision, meaning they can see in literally every direction. 

5. Their brain is upside down

With those large eyes being in such a different position than most birds, the make up of the woodcocks brain is wildly different than it is for most birds too. With other species, the ears and cerebellum (the part of the brain that controls voluntary muscle movement and balance among other things) are behind their eyes and near the back of their head, for the woodcock they are actually underneath their eyes. The cerebellum is positioned right above their spinal column, essentially meaning that their brain is flipped upside down in their head. Which for some reason feels like it just fits this wacky and wonderful species

I said it before, but American Woodcocks really are probably the weirdest bird in North America and a species that is just so cool to see, hear, and learn more about. I hope you learned something you didn’t know and If you liked this video consider signing up for our email list to get updates on all things Badgerland Birding, and as always thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.

Everyone is familiar with ducks. They’re common both in more wild areas as well as local parks, and farms. While everyone has some idea of what ducks are and what they do, not everyone is aware of some of the most intriguing facts about them. Here are five things that you may not know about ducks.

1. Some dive, while others dabble

While all ducks share similar features, they are extremely variable in their range, habitat they prefer, and even the way they find food. Ducks are separated into two different groups, the dabblers, and the divers. Dabbling entails tipping their heads in the water and putting their backend up in the air. They do this in shallow water where they can reach plants and even the substrate where aquatic invertebrates and other small creatures live. Mallards are one of the most common dabblers, and other common ducks like teals and pintails also fall into this category. As their name suggests, diving ducks actually dive all the way into the water to search for fish, mollusks, and anything else they can catch. Birds like mergansers, scoters, and ring-necked ducks fit into this category along with most other sea ducks that spend more time on oceans and large bodies of water. It’s worth noting that these ducks typically aren’t diving too deep but more like 6 feet or so. However, some like the Long-tailed Duck can dive as deep as 200 feet which is pretty impressive.

2. They’re waterproof

Considering all of the time ducks spend in oftentimes cold water it’s important that they’re able to stay warm, and an important part of staying warm is staying dry. Fortunately for ducks, they have a combination of adaptations that help with that. First, their feathers are structured similarly to velcro with tiny hooks that interlock and prevent water from getting in. Additionally, they have a layer of soft down for extra protection. The last and most important way that ducks keep water out is a waxy oil secreted by a gland near their tail that they constantly apply to their feathers by preening. All of these things allow even ducks that dive into the water to become waterproof and stay dry. 

3. Some nest in trees

People don’t usually think of ducks as birds that spend any time in trees, but there are several species that not only perch in trees but actually nest in trees too. There are many ducks that do this across the globe but in the US there are four specific species that use tree cavities and nest boxes regularly. These four are the Bufflehead, the BLack-belleid Whistling Duck, the Hooded Merganser, and most famously the wood duck. Wood Ducks are frequent nest box users around ponds and wetlands and sometimes even a little distance away from water. Nesting above ground means the ducklings have to handle a fall before they can make their way to the water, but fortunately, their light weight and fluffy down help prevent serious injuries.

4. Sometimes they can’t fly

I was shocked when I first learned this, but ducks go through a period of time after their breeding season where they molt and simply can’t fly for a span of about 4 to 5 weeks. This happens as the ducks completely change their feathers including their flight feathers and then have to wait for the new flight feathers to grow in. During this time the once bright colors of the male ducks switch into a much more subdued version that looks more like the females typical plumage. This helps them better camouflage during this time and is known as eclipse plumage. Obviously, not being able to fly makes ducks extremely vulnerable and as a result, ducks live a pretty low key life for these weeks. Staying as hidden as possible until they can once again take to the skies.

5. They have long migrations

Speaking of flying, ducks actually have some extreme migrations. Sure, some ducks don’t really migrate, looking at you local pond mallards, but others fly thousands of miles to and from their breeding areas. Northern Pintails are among some of the most notable long distance migrants among ducks with some of them going from Canada all the way south to Mexico and even South America. Other ducks like Harlequin Ducks, Eiders, and Scoters travel from the arctic to the coasts of the continental United States. Overall, for a bird that feels unremarkable when you see them out in a flooded field or pond, some of them certainly make a long journey to be there.

Ducks are highly variable and really interesting birds and there are so many more fascinating things about them to know that I didn’t even get to cover so maybe i’ll have to do another video about them. I hope you learned something that you didn’t know before. If you liked this video consider signing up for our email list to get updates on all things Badgerland Birding and as always thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.

Geese are animals that feel ever present in people’s lives. From a common site around farms, to a harbinger of spring, these birds are so familiar that it’s easy to overlook them for the amazing creatures that they really are. Here are five things you didn’t know about geese. 

1. Some Geese are rare

Just about everyone is familiar with the extremely common Canada Goose, but there are actually around 15-20 different species of true geese worldwide, and a number of species that move through the United States each year, some of these birds are rare. Rarity of course is all relative and a bird like a Snow Goose that can be common during migration can be rare during other times of the year. For this reason there are different levels to goose rarity. Overall, Canada geese are among the most common in the United States. Their similar looking but smaller counterpart the Cackling Goose, the two white geese, snow and ross’s as well as greater white fronted are all migratory and are rare in certain states during certain parts of the year. Brants, which can be found along the pacific and atlantic coasts, are rare inland. And then there are the geese that are rare for the country as a whole. Birds like pink-footed goose and tundra bean goose are two examples of geese that find their way into the US and that birders will go to great lengths to see. I’ve been on a wild goose chase before when a tundra bean goose showed up about 7 hours away. I made the drive, and yes, it was totally worth it. 

2. They’re smarter than you think

There are a lot of words people use to describe geese, loud, annoying, messy, but one that they don’t usually use is intelligent. In reality, geese are actually way smarter than most people realize. First, geese have excellent memories. They can remember places that are dangerous, where to find food, places that were successful for nesting, and migratory routes. In addition to that, they also have an impressive ability to recognize individual humans. They have been known to change their behavior around different people, acting more friendly to people who feed them and acting hostile toward people who chase or harass them. People generally think of crows as being birds that hold grudges but maybe it’s time for people to try and make friends with their local geese.

One last thing about how geese brains work that isn’t really intelligence but it is fascinating. Geese sleep with one eye open and half of their brain active while sleeping. This helps them rest while still keeping an eye out for predators which is an amazing adaptation.

3. They make great guards

It may sound silly at first but geese actually have a reputation of being pretty good guard animals. In fact, this isn’t a new thing but rather something that has been done throughout history all the way back to ancient rome as well as many other countries across the globe. What makes geese good for this kind of job? Well for starters they are territorial and fiercely protective of their young. Anyone who has ever tried to walk passed a flock of Canada Geese with goslings can attest to this. Furthermore, they tend to stand their ground as opposed to flying away and can be insanely loud with their honking noises they make, notifying anyone in the area that an intruder is around. Additionally, remember the fact that they can recognize faces? That means they can be very sweet to humans that live there but angry and aggressive to strangers trying to come onto the property. The geese usually used as guards aren’t usually the smaller wild North American goose species but rather the more beefy domesticated species making them pretty intimidating. All of these traits make geese such good guard animals that they are actually still used today to watch over farms and even some bases and prisons.

4. They’re extreme flyers

One thing that geese are known for is the way they fly in V shaped flocks traveling north in spring and south in the fall. This migratory feat is sometimes taken for granted though as they are more impressive than people think. On average, during migration, geese fly at an altitude of between 2 and 9 thousand feet, but some have even been recorded as high as 20,000 feet. Not only is the height impressive though but also the distance. Goose migrations can be over 3 thousand miles, traveling from the southern United States to the arctic and back, sometimes going over a thousand miles without stopping. Part of what allows geese to travel such long distances are their aforementioned flight formations. These V shaped formations help geese to save energy by using the upward air current from the birds in front of them. They trade out the flock leader from time to time to prevent any individuals in the flock from getting too tired since the lead bird works much harder than the ones in the back of the flock.

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5. They’re family oriented

It’s not difficult to find birds that work together to build nests and raise young, but geese take it a step further. These birds are known for mating for life or at least staying together for many many years. This is especially true for most wild geese species, and some will even mourn the loss of their partner for a period of time before finding a new mate in the event that their partner passes away. However, it is worth noting that some such as Snow Geese do sometimes mate with multiple individuals in a single nesting season. Additionally, there is a study from Connecticut that I looked at that referenced what they called “divorce” between Canada geese in which they cited the number of goose pairs that separate at 15 to 18 percent. However, for the most part most geese do actually mate for life and work together to raise their young with the male usually protecting the territory and the female spending more time tending to the eggs.

Overall, geese are actually incredibly interesting birds that due to the familiarity we have with them probably get taken for granted. I hope you learned some things you didn’t know and if you liked this video be sure to take a look at another one of our videos on birds and birding and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding

Cardinals are fan favorites when it comes to backyard bird watching. Their bright coloration, cheerful song, and habit of living around homes and gardens make them extremely recognizable. While they are certainly a familiar and likable bird, there is even more to them than meets the eye. Here are five things you may not have known about Cardinals.

There is more than one species of cardinal

Cardinals are in the family cardinalidae that includes birds like grosbeaks, tanagers, and buntings. In that grouping there are three birds that are deemed to be true cardinals. Those species are the vermillion cardinal that lives in South America, the Pyrrhuloxia, residing in certain parts of the southeastern US, and the Northern Cardinal which is the most well known of the bunch living throughout much of the eastern US. There are other birds that look similar to cardinals such as the Phainopepla that aren’t true cardinals and even birds with cardinal in the name like red crested cardinals that aren’t true cardinals. Bird taxonomy, it’s really something, but the gist of it is that there are 3 species, all sporting a crest and red coloration. In this video our focus will be on the Northern Cardinal since that’s the species most people think of when they hear the term cardinal.

They fight themselves

Some of the most searched questions about cardinals have to do with why they attack windows. Many people have run into this issue that involves a cardinal (usually a male cardinal) consistently attacking windows or other reflective surfaces around their house and yard. This happens because of an unfortunate mix of things. First, Cardinals are highly territorial and will fiercely defend their territories from rivals. Couple this with the fact that they don’t have the ability to recognize themselves in reflective surfaces and you get the perfect storm of a cardinal seeing what it believes to be a rival male that simply won’t back down no matter how hard it fights against it. These incidents can be stressful for the bird involved and even cause some injuries. If you’re in a situation where this is happening, you can put decals or some other non reflective material over the spot the cardinal is attacking. Usually they calm down once the mating season is over.

They aren’t red to begin with

Cardinals are known for the males’ bright red color, but they aren’t naturally red. Males are red not because of genetic coloration but because of the foods they eat. Pigments called carotenoids are the cause of the color. They are found in the foods that they eat and this is actually the same color that gives fall leaves their colors as well as other birds such as house finches. The more carotenoids a cardinal consumes the brighter red it becomes, meaning there is a strong link between health and brightness. For this reason, the brightest male cardinals are usually the most successful at finding a mate. Female cardinals also have a bit of red but it’s not nearly as noticeable. It’s worth noting that sometimes the genetic pigment processing that makes cardinals red doesn’t work right and cardinals end up yellow. This is very rare and usually causes a stir when a bird like this is found.

They are the most popular state bird

For having 50 states, one would think that there would be a good amount of unique birds picked to represent each state. While there are definitely some interesting one offs like the Scissor tailed flycatcher in Oklahoma or the western Gull in Utah, there are many states that share the same state bird. The bird most chosen as a state bird is the cardinal with 7 different states selecting it. In case you’re wondering, these states are Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. The cardinal was likely chosen so often for a variety of reasons including the fact that they don’t really migrate so they’re seen often, they’re common around yards, they stay brightly colored in the winter, and to many people they hold special meanings. No matter what the reason, they ended up as the record holder for most state bird selections with the western meadowlark coming in at number two with 6 and the mockingbird at third with 5.

Females also sing

For many songbirds, only the male sings. The northern cardinal is different because the female is also quite vocal and communicates via song. Oftentimes they sing during the nesting season which is thought to signal a variety of different things to their partner such as where exactly to bring the food and what the status of the nest is. It’s very common to see male cardinals up and singing but if you hear cardinal vocalizations from the dense thickets, it’s possible it could actually be a female.

Even though Cardinals are common, they certainly are even more interesting than people think. Are there any other facts about cardinals I didn’t mention, let us know in the comments below and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.

In cities and towns across the United States are birds that have been causing quite a stir: Wild Parrots. It may sound strange, but for people who live in areas with these colorful birds, seeing them routinely is just a way of life. As is the case with any species that was originally nonnative, there are a lot of opinions flying around out there and a lot of information that isn’t necessarily accurate. That’s why I’m here to give you the truth about wild parrots living in the USA.

Truth 1 – It’s not their fault they’re here

Most nonnative and invasive species end up getting a lot of hate for the potential negative impact they can have on the environment. It’s important to remember though that those species and certainly the parrots in the United States didn’t choose to be here. Unfortunately, the reason these parrots are here is almost entirely because of humans. While there are a lot of different folk lore type stories about them escaping from zoos, amusement parks and private collections, the reality of it is that most of them were once pets. Perhaps they escaped captivity but more often than not, people simply didn’t want them anymore and let them go. When they were released in places with suitable climates such as Florida or California, some of them survived and formed flocks. Members of these flocks started reproducing and now there are populations living wild. A note on this, do not ever release your pets into the wild, it’s completely irresponsible and most released pets aren’t equipped to survive.

Truth 2 – Some might actually be native

It’s well known that the descendants of most of America’s wild parrots were once captive birds, but there are two species that may actually have had at least some wild ancestry. Let’s go down to South Texas, one of the countries parrot strongholds. Here there are two species with some questions about how they got to the United States. These birds are the Red-crowned Amazon and the Green Parakeet. Both of these species have populations just across the border in Northern Mexico that are truly wild. Although the south texas populations are considered to be derived from escaped birds, it’s very possible that at least some of the birds in these populations are actually wild birds or descendants of wild birds from the populations in Mexico. Without doing genetic testing, there’s no way of knowing for sure, and I really doubt they’ll be doing that any time soon. For that reason it will remain a mystery for the foreseeable future, but the idea of legitimately wild parrots moving into the US is an intriguing thought.

Truth 3 – Most Species aren’t problematic

Nonnative species are often maligned for negatively impacting native wildlife, but the parrot situation is a little bit different. Generally, most parrot species living in the United States are relatively harmless in terms of their ecological impact. There are a lot of reasons for this, first of all, most species can only live in warmer weather parts of the country and tend to stay pretty localized as opposed to moving around and expanding their range. Next, they simply don’t displace native bird species. They tend to feed on ornamental trees and live in areas impacted by humans instead of pristine wilderness. The biggest negative impact the parrots have is actually on humans and it comes in the form of annoying them with their loud squawks. A lot of people talk about how these parrots are a problem in the country, but in reality, for most species they really aren’t causing any trouble, at least not yet.

Truth 4 – One species can be a problem

Although most parrot species in the US don’t cause problems, there is one that can be. That species is the Monk Parakeet. Monk Parakeets are different from other parrots in North America because they can live in colder climates. One key adaptation that allows for these birds to survive in the cold is their ability to build massive stick nests that help insulate them. This, along with other adaptations has allowed them to spread across the country in a way that no other parrot species has. Unfortunately, these nests that have helped them to thrive in the north are also the reason they can be problematic. Here’s the thing, Monk Parakeets absolutely love to build their nests on human made structures like bridges and electrical transformers. The nests on transformers are the real issue as they can become so large that they create electrical fires and cause power outages. This has led to many cities working to remove the nests and in some cases eliminate the parrot colony. In terms of ecological impact, even Monk parakeets don’t seem to displace native species but they do cause some issues for people in the cities that they live in

Truth 5 – These parrots are in trouble in their native range

Something interesting about the United States parrot situation is that some of the species living in the United States are actually not doing well in their native range. In fact, species like Red-crowned Amazons, Lilac Crowned Amazons, and yellow headed amazons are all endangered in their native range in Mexico. In the United States there aren’t any programs or protections for them since they’re nonnative, but the U.S. populations could be important if the numbers of wild birds in Mexico continue to decline. What this all means, is that even though the parrots in the United States are nonnative, they are actually extremely valuable in the fight against extinction for many of the species present.

The parrots in the United States are an interesting phenomenon that for birders, provide some new species to chase, and for non-birders are a unique oddity. I hope you learned something you didn’t know about them. If you want to hear more about parrots in the United States, take a look at one of our other videos about them and as always, thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time on Badgerland Birding.