Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva)Family: Hirundinidae The Cave Swallow is an increasingly common species in the greater Houston area. At first glance, the Cave Swallow appears very similar to the closely related (and more abundant) Cliff Swallow. Both species are generally light below and darker above, both species have a buffy rump patch that is easily […]
Read MoreEvery spring, Houston Audubon and other conservation organizations along the Texas coast participate in the Texas Colonial Waterbird Surveys to help monitor population trends in our state’s seabirds and wading birds. Houston Audubon, Audubon Texas and several additional undivided interest owners co-own North Deer Island, the largest and most productive breeding colony in Galveston Bay. […]
Read MoreGreen Heron (Butorides virescens)Family: Ardeidae What do you mean, I’m short? The Green Heron – our Beak of the Week – is one of the smallest resident members of the heron family in the Houston area. Full-size Green Herons are approximately 18 inches (45 cm) from beak to tail, which means they are comparable in […]
Read MoreAre you at home more with nothing to do? Are you looking for new ways to entertain your restless kids? We\’ve all been going a bit stir-crazy, but while we may have to socially distance ourselves from each other, that does not mean we have to miss out on nature all around us this spring […]
Read MoreBay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)Family: Parulidae When in doubt…look at the feet? Or at least that’s what you do when you are in doubt as to whether you are looking at a non-breeding female/young Bay-breasted or a Blackpoll warbler. Because these two can look very similar, biologists will use the distinctive blue-grey color of the soles […]
Read MoreBy Patrick Bolgren, Houston Audubon’s Young Professionals Advisory Council 2019 In September of 2017, my girlfriend Amanda and I, along with our dog Scout, moved out of our apartment and into a house in Houston’s Sunset Heights. One of the selling points of this house was that it had a small backyard the three of […]
Read MoreMagnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) Family: Fregatidae Is that a dinosaur, soaring up there? Well, perhaps not quite, but our Beak of the Week – the Magnificent Frigatebird – is soaring into the Houston area these days. This pirate-bird of the high seas is commonly seen from boats and beaches throughout the late spring and summer months. […]
Read MoreI’ll begin with saying I know very little about birds. I can only identify the owners of a small handful of calls in an area where I have spent most of my life, and I am just now trying to learn the differences between mourning doves and white-winged doves. I have always appreciated the presence […]
Read MoreVeery (Catharus fuscescens)Family: Turdidae Hopefully, this spring you will be fortunate enough to hear the enchantingly raspy and melodic song of the Veery. The Veery is a small thrush with a cinnamon-colored head, wings, back, and tail, light underside, and faint rufous spotting and a faint buffy wash to the throat and breast. Veery tend […]
Read MoreAcross the world, species are rapidly disappearing before our eyes. This is a biodiversity crisis. Urbanization has caused habitat degradation, loss, and fragmentation, which contribute to the decrease in global biodiversity. At Rice University, fifteen students signed up for Dr. Cassidy Johnson’s Conservation Biology Lab in hopes of making changes on their campus and in […]
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