Our Blog

Feeders can increase the risk of disease transmission in birds if they are not cleaned adequately. New research shows ideal cleaning methods to prevent the spread of disease among the feeder birds we love.

It’s not often that FeederWatch participants report endangered species in their backyard. This past August, long-time FeederWatcher Chuck Gehringer spotted a Red-cockaded Woodpecker at his home in Pinehurst, North Carolina.  These small birds are identified by a black-and-white striped back,…

Trichomonas gallinae, a harmful parasite to birds, may have the ability to survive outside of its host. New research, however, has found that we may not have to worry. Find out what you can do to protect your feeder birds by keeping seed dry.

Although males can easily be distinguished from females in many species, in Project FeederWatch we only report the largest total flock size for each species seen at one time. But what could we learn if we counted males and females…

Have you ever watched birds flit to your feeders and wondered how they achieved the magnificent ability of flight?  The evolution of flight has been an intriguing puzzle ever since evolutionary biologists realized that modern birds evolved from dinosaurs.  An…

Many FeederWatchers do much more than just put out feeders to attract birds – they sculpt their yards to be veritable bird sanctuaries (see article in 2011 Winter Bird Highlights).  In fact, landscaping your yard can be beneficial to both…

A recent press release from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology explains how the bacteria that causes house finch eye disease is found in many species, and not just feeder birds. “The results were shocking,” says André Dhondt, director of Bird…

What sorts of behaviors do you see? Dominance interactions are playing out at your bird feeder, in the woods, in the field, and anywhere birds occur! Researcher Eliot Miller from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology wants to know about them….

Highlights from a presentation by FeederWatch project leader, Emma Greig, at the North American Ornithological Conference 2016. She summarized research being conducted by her and by Cornell Lab Citizen Science director, David Bonter. Food is a major determinant of the…