By 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 […]
Read MoreGolden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)Family: Parulidae The Golden-winged Warbler is sure to be an exciting flash of gold in the trees during migration season. Of the warblers that frequently visit or breed in the United States, the Golden-winged Warbler is the only species with the unique combination of bright golden-yellow wing bars and a dark face […]
Read MoreHere is a list of five common species you can see and hear during spring in Texas, using Houston eBird data for Harris County.Yellow-billed Cuckoo Dan Vickers/Macaulay Library (S55087581) This sometimes skulking species occurs regularly in Houston, as evidenced by the eBird range maps (including current reports in orange). During migration, you may see it […]
Read MoreSpring bird migration is in its peak over Texas, filling Houston with a plethora of colorful, melodious visitors. Turning out nonessential lights from April 19 – May 7 is one of the most impactful local actions you can make to save the lives of birds on their journey. As an extension of the city-wide Lights […]
Read MoreCerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea)Family: Parulidae Everyone’s favorite blue warbler has started to arrive in Texas, all the way from South America and on their way to more northerly breeding grounds. Male Cerulean Warblers are stormy blue, with faint gray streaking on top with white throats, bellies, and wingbars. Females are more dusky on top, have […]
Read MoreWe\’d like to share this wonderful report from Jim Winn of Birdathon team Eager Egrets, which includes our friends Skip Almoney, Ben Hulsey, and Betsy and Jim Winn. It\’s a great example of how to participate in Birdathon during these unprecedented times. In addition to a \”virtual team,\” you can also participate in Digital Birding! […]
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