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Bird of the Week: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
When trees begin to bud and temperatures rise, most ducks flee central Texas for cooler climes (as most of us would like to do). Not the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck–but then…
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Bird of the Week: Hooded Merganser
The Hooded Merganser is another entry in the Bird Name Hall of Shame, where can be found such inaptly-named birds as the Orange-crowned Warbler, the Red-bellied Woodpecker, and the…
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Bird of the Week: Hutton’s Vireo
What are we to make of the mysterious Hutton’s Vireo? This small, undistinguished bird does not even appear in my 2014 printing of the Sibley Guide to Birds of…
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Bird of the Week: House Finch
To view a humble House Finch, foraging at one’s feeder or singing sweetly atop a telephone pole, is to witness the American dream come true. Originally native…
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Bird of the Week: Pileated Woodpecker
With a wingspan of up to two and a half feet, the Pileated Woodpecker is by far the largest woodpecker in Texas. In fact, only…
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Bird of the Week: Red-breasted Nuthatch
Of the four species of nuthatch native to the United States, the Red-breasted is the only species that regularly enters Central Texas. Although it’s only…
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Bird of the Week: Common Yellowthroat
The Common Yellowthroat is one warbler you can spot without risking “warbler neck.” These small wood-warblers prefer the undergrowth to the canopy, and can often be found…
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Bird of the Week: Black-crowned Night Heron
The Black-crowned Night Heron is a bird so nice, they named it twice: Nycticorax nycticorax. In spite of this binomial insistence, it is…
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Bird of the Week: Bald Eagle
Adopted as our national emblem in 1782–a year before the end of the Revolutionary War–the Bald Eagle has been a contentious symbol for nearly as long. Benjamin…
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Bird of the Week: Belted Kingfisher
The Belted Kingfisher is only about the size of a blackbird or robin, but it seems to wear the bill of a much larger bird. This hefty…
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Bird of the Week: Red-tailed Hawk
The Red-tailed Hawk is probably our most common raptor, and easily spotted from a moving car: tall trees, street lights, and tall buildings are equally attractive to…
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Bird of the Week: Common Raven
The intriguing Common Raven has accompanied people around the Northern Hemisphere for centuries, following their wagons, sleds, sleighs, and hunting parties in hopes of a quick meal. Ravens are…
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Bird of the Week: Yellow-rumped Warbler
Few warblers deign to spend the winter months in North America, preferring the warm climates and easy meals of the tropics. The Yellow-rumped Warbler is a notable…
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Bird of the Week: Downy Woodpecker
Weighing in at just under an ounce, the Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America. Despite their diminutive stature, these bluebird-sized woodpeckers are…
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Bird of the Week: Mallard
Few birds can rival the humble mallard for cultural ubiquity. Ask the average person to think of a duck, and chances are they’ll have in…
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