Dapperly dressed in black, white, and glacial gray, the Northern Shrike might pass as any other songbird. But don’t be fooled ...

Not a bird of open prairies, the Prairie Warbler nests mainly in young second growth scrub and densely overgrown fields in eastern North America. Such habitats are often temporary, and colonies may ...

Widespread on Pacific Coast from Alaska to California, but more local in the east, being found mainly off eastern Canada. This large auk sits upright on sea cliffs, looking like a northern version of ...

An odd little diver, the main North American representative of the group of stiff-tailed ducks, with spiky tail feathers that are often cocked up in the air. Usually, the Ruddy Duck is lethargic and ...

Despite its plain appearance, this flycatcher is often a favorite among eastern birdwatchers. It is among the earliest of migrants, bringing hope that spring is at hand. Seemingly quite tame, the ...

The rich, throaty chant of the Chuck-will's-widow, singing its name, echoes through southern woodlands on summer nights. By day, the bird is seldom detected as it rests on horizontal tree limbs or on ...

Although its name sounds like a cartoonist's invention, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker does exist. This species is common in the north and east, and is replaced by close relatives in the west. Quiet in ...

Where the Pacific Ocean breaks against rocky shorelines, Black Oystercatcher pairs stalk about on the rocks and nearby flats. If disturbed, they take flight with loud, ringing whistles, easily heard ...

The Belted Kingfisher is widespread across most of North America but wanders widely, sometimes found in Britian, Ireland, Hawaii, Galapagos Islands, Greenland, Iceland, and the Netherlands. It is ...

Crows are thought to be among our most intelligent birds, and the success of the American Crow in adapting to civilization would seem to confirm this. Despite past attempts to exterminate them, ...

The Broad-winged Hawk is a small hawk, common in eastern woodlands in summer. Staying around the edges of forest, the Broad-wing Hawk is often not very noticeable during the breeding season, but form ...