Book Corner: The Backyard Bird Chronicles
Before I was half way through The Backyard Chronicles by Amy Tan, I had already begun composing a review in my head. That’s how much I wanted others to know about and read this book….
Drier Winter Habitat Impacts Warblers’ Ability to Survive Migration
A new study from researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) shows environmental conditions in migratory birds’ winter homes carry over to affect their ability to survive spring migration and the breeding season. While scientists have long known that the quality of winter, or non-breeding, habitat influences migratory birds’ migration timing and reproductive
Drier Winter Habitat Impacts Warblers’ Ability to Survive Migration Read More »
Peregrine Falcons Set Off False Alarms to Make Prey Easier to Catch
Predators must eat to survive — and to survive, prey must avoid being eaten. One theory, the Wolf-Mangel model, suggests predators could use false attacks to tire prey out or force them to take bigger risks, but this has been hard to show in practice. Now, scientists observing peregrine falcons have found evidence that they
Peregrine Falcons Set Off False Alarms to Make Prey Easier to Catch Read More »
Book Corner: Field Notes From An Unintentional Birder
Many birders who go on to write books about birds started birding as youngsters or young adults. But some do not — and Laura Dornan reviews a book by one of these late bloomers.
Book Corner: Field Notes From An Unintentional Birder Read More »
Book Corner: Unseen City
The full title says it all: Unseen City: The Majesty of Pigeons, the Discreet Charm of Snails, and Other Wonders of the Urban Wilderness. Author Nathaniel Johnson, assisted by his toddler daughter, shows us that their typical urban neighborhood is alive with the wonders of that “urban wilderness”. All we need to do is lift
Volunteer Spotlight: Mitch Masters
Mitch Masters is a retired biologist and professor from The Ohio State University where he specialized in animal behavior. His research interest was echolocation by big brown bats. Upon officially retiring, he found he had a little more free time, so in the fall of 2013 Mitch decided volunteering at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center