Beak of the Week – Northern Parula

March 17, 2023.Reading time 3 minutes.

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) Family: Parulidae By Jon Piasecki, Houston Audubon Conservation Technician The Northern Parula is a tiny species of warbler that can be seen throughout the eastern half of the United States during the migration and breeding seasons. Adults have beautiful blue-gray wings, head and back, white eye-arcs, a greenish back patch and […]

Beak of the Week – Common Tern

March 10, 2023.Reading time 4 minutes.

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Family: Laridae By Carrie Chapin, Houston Audubon Conservation Technician Common Terns are a fairly regular sight along the Upper Texas Coast as they migrate through in the spring and fall. Their numbers here peak in April and October, but a few individuals stick around during summer. One of the medium-sized terns, […]

Beak of the Week – Sandhill Crane

March 3, 2023.Reading time 4 minutes.

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) Family: Gruidae By Jon Piasecki, Houston Audubon Conservation Technician Sandhill Cranes are the smaller of the two species of crane native to North America. This species looks similar to their relative, the Whooping Crane, but are much more abundant. In fact, Sandhill Crane populations have been growing by nearly 4% each […]

Beak of the Week – Rock Pigeon

February 24, 2023.Reading time 4 minutes.

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) Family: Columbidae By Carrie Chapin, Houston Audubon Conservation Technician This week’s Beak of the Week focuses on the Rock Pigeon, a species often scoffed at by birders and city-goers alike. The Rock Pigeon is a charismatic, cosmopolitan species known to almost everyone due to its strong presence in pop culture and […]

Beak of the Week – Vermilion Flycatcher

February 17, 2023.Reading time 4 minutes.

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) Family: Tyrannidae By Jon Piasecki, Houston Audubon Conservation Technician Vermilion Flycatchers are a beautiful species that stand out in their natural habitat. Adult males have a remarkably vibrant red crown, throat, and belly with black wings, back and eye patch. Females tend to be brown/gray with a white breast and red-orange […]

Super Bird 57: That’s a Wrap!

February 13, 2023.Reading time 3 minutes.

Mary Anne Morris, Houston Audubon Education Director As the waning snow moon sank deep on the horizon, the first songs of the cardinal could be heard piercing the morning sky. The time had come for the annual competition that puts the B in bird and pits the birdwatchers from two hallowed teams against each other […]

Bird-Friendly Backyards: Common Threats & Easy Ways to Help

February 13, 2023.Reading time 6 minutes.

By Carrie Chapin, Houston Audubon Conservation Technician Despite good intentions, many things placed in backyards can cause harm to birds, resulting in injuries or mortalities. For example, birds can get sick from dirty feeders, and cats and windows are direct threats that vastly affect bird populations. Here are some of the most common backyard threats […]

Beak of the Week – American Goldfinch

February 10, 2023.Reading time 4 minutes.

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) Family: Fringillidae By Carrie Chapin, Houston Audubon Conservation Technician The American Goldfinch is a relatively common yet cute passerine whose flocks use many habitats, including neighborhoods, feeders, forests, fields, and edge habitats. Their range encompasses all of the contiguous U.S., though they do not breed in the southernmost states. This species […]

World Wetlands Day: The Importance of Wetlands

February 2, 2023.Reading time 6 minutes.

By Carrie Chapin and Jon Piasecki, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technicians Today (Feb 2nd) is World Wetlands Day – a yearly celebration of wetlands and their important contributions to ecosystems and human society. Wetlands provide food and habitat for thousands of species, filter water, and capture runoff to prevent flooding. A wetland is any area […]

DIY Water Feature with Drip

January 30, 2023.Reading time 7 minutes.

By Adoriam DeWalt Hello! My name is Adoriam DeWalt and I am an Ambassador of Girl Scouts. I am working with Houston Audubon on my Girl Scout Gold Award to talk about the war on birds. I hope you find this information helpful as we try to be more bird-friendly! Why birds matter Birds are […]