Bird of the Week: Wood Duck

Wood Duck Aix sponsa  Content and photos by James Giroux There are few North American birds that can rival the Wood Duck for flashiness and color. Just count the colors: red, yellow,…

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Bird of the Week: Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Compiled by Lindsey Hernandez. The Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) is a delightful warbler that captivates birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike with its vibrant colors and spirited behavior. Easily…

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Bird of the Week: Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii Compiled by Lisa S. Graham Have all the birds mysteriously abandoned your backyard feeder?  It may mean there’s Cooper’s Hawk in the vicinity.  These skilled fliers see backyard…

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Bird of the Week: Nashville Warbler

Nashville Warbler Leiothlypis ruficapilla Content and photos by James Giroux When we think of migrant Warblers in Central Texas we generally think of the months April, May and September. But in the…

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Bird of the Week: Rock Pigeon

By Abby West Photo by Matias Basualdo One of the first birds to be domesticated, pigeons and humans go way back, like 5,000 years back. As such, it’s next to impossible…

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Bird of the Week: Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Compiled by Lindsey Hernandez Photo by Mike Kit The Barn Swallow is the most abundant and widely distributed swallow species in the world. It breeds throughout the Northern Hemisphere…

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Bird of the Week: Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Compiled by Lisa S. Graham Photo credit:  Peter Hawrylyshyn, Macaulay Library Austin has always been a hotbed of the punk rock scene, and the Cedar Waxwing has the…

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Bird of the Week: Yellow-throated Warbler

Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica Content and photos by James Giroux Like all warblers, the Yellow-throated Warbler migrates in the spring and fall. But, you could say that this warbler is “less ambitious”…

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Bird of the Week: Carolina Chickadee

Compiled by Abby West Photo by Michael O’Brien Chickadees are one of the first birds I could semi-reliably identify from (some of) their calls. I came about this skill by repeatedly…

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Bird of the Week: Canyon Towhee

Canyon Towhee Melozone fusca Compiled by Lindsey Hernandez Photo by Alan D. Wilson Canyon Towhee, although originally described as a separate species, was later lumped with California Towhee (P. crissalis) as the “Brown…

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Bird of the Week: Swainson’s Thrush

Swainson’s thrush Catharus ustulatus Content and photos by Eliana Patt On a wet May morning, a flutelike song bubbles up from the underbrush. The bird it belongs to hops into the light,…

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Bird of the Week: Canyon Wren

Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus Content and photos by James Giroux There are few sounds that can warm a birder’s heart like the call of a Canyon Wren. Perfectly crafted for its habitat,…

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Bird of the Week: Blue Jay

By Abby West Photo by Jim Ridley Blue jays are unmistakable with their highly saturated plumage and loud, harsh calls. They are ubiquitous throughout Central Texas and the Eastern United…

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Bird of the Week: Black Tern

Black Tern Chlidonias niger Written and compiled by Lindsey Hernandez Painting by John James Audubon, from The Birds of America Photo by Andrej Chudy The Black Tern is one of the smallest terns, 9.1–14.2…

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Bird of the Week: Acorn Woodpecker

Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus By Rajiv Jauhari Featured Photo by Jim Akers/Audubon Photography Awards, downloaded from audubon.netx.net If you happen to be hiking in a region of California that has oak trees, see…

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