Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)Family: Anatidae Male Green-winged Teal have black bills, red-brown heads with a thick green band stretching from the eyes to the nape of the neck, white bands on the shoulders, lighter tan speckled breasts, thick, dark-green bands on the lower parts of the wings, and thinner white bands bordering the green on […]
Read MoreHave you ever been minding your own business when you hear that dreadful thud of a bird colliding with your window? Unfortunately, up to 1 billion birds die each year from window collisions. Why are such smart animals so clumsy? Well, it’s because (most) humans can use door frames, reflections, and other visual cues to […]
Read MoreCommon Loon (Gavia immer)Family: Gaviidae Known for its hauntingly eerie yodeling song and gaudy summer colors, the Common Loon is often considered a symbol of northern boreal lakes – it’s even featured on the Canadian dollar coin. However, during these winter months when boreal lakes are frozen over, many Common Loons venture toward both the […]
Read MoreSedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)Family: Troglodytidae Sedge Wrens are small, round, nutmeg-colored birds, with curved bills, inconspicuous eyebrows, finely streaked heads, lighter chests and bellies, and thicker brown and white streaking on the backs, and tails. Their tails are short and are often raised. You are likely to hear them before you see them, due to […]
Read MoreTree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)Family: Hirundinidae A bird must be very adept in flight to be able to catch and eat insects in mid-air, and the Tree Swallow is just that! Tree Swallows are often found flittering high above ponds, marshes, and open fields in search of their next insect meal. Tree Swallows get their name […]
Read Moreby Joe Smith Whether you’re a photographer or just a birder, inviting birds to your backyard feeders is a great way for some leisure birding. Be on the lookout for some that may not be regular visitors, such as the Orange-crowned Warbler and the Pine Warbler that came to my suet feeder in January. The […]
Read MoreBufflehead (Bucephala albeola)Family: Anatidae The Bufflehead is the smallest duck in North America. Male Buffleheads are small ducks with short dark grey bills, black backs, rumps, tails and wings, white underside, with thick vertical white stripes going across the wings, and a thick white patch going around the purple-green iridescent head. Female Buffleheads are dark […]
Read MoreWe know that Houston is a vital city for birds, but now it’s official. Houston Audubon’s Conservation Team worked tirelessly in partnership with Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) Natural Resources Program to submit the application, and it paid off. Houston was honored as one of the first four cities to receive the Bird City […]
Read MoreHerring Gull (Larus argentatus)Family: Laridae Distinguished from other local gulls by its larger size and generally bulky shape, the Herring Gull can be found in our area during the cooler months. While wintering in the Gulf Houston Area, Herring Gulls will scavenge for food along coastlines and in mudflats – as well as in agricultural […]
Read MoreLast week, we bid a happy farewell to Juanita Perkins, Office Manager at Houston Audubon. After over a decade of service to Houston Audubon, she has retired and is now entering the next chapter of her life. This beautiful soul will be very much missed by all of the staff, board members, volunteers, and anyone […]
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