Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) Family: Accipitridae By Charlie Ayers, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s Beak of the Week, the Northern Harrier, has a small hooked bill that it uses to eat a variety of prey. The Northern Harrier is a medium-sized raptor with broad wings, a long tail and a white rump patch […]
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By Vicki Stittleburg, Environmental Educator & Naturalist This fall, we had 13 young learners enrolled in our Fledgling Friends program. This interactive program focuses on the aspects of nature that preschool children are likely to encounter in their neighborhoods and at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. In their first class, students learned about our […]
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Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) Family: Anatidae By Charlie Ayers, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s Beak of the Week, the Red-breasted Merganser, has a long, thin bill with serrated edges like a bread knife! Males of this species have green heads with a hairdo that resembles a punk rocker, a white neck band and […]
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By Nick Minnich, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician More than a century of community science efforts has provided researchers, conservation biologists, and wildlife agencies with valuable data related to the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. While originating as an alternative to the popular Christmas “Side Hunt,” this community science event […]
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Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) Family: Anatidae By Theresa Kelly, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician What’s black and white and flies all over? This week’s Beak of the Week! The aptly-named Common Goldeneye can be identified by its bright amber eye, an easily distinguishable feature in both males and females. As is common to many avian […]
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Ross’s Goose (Anser rossii) Family: Anatidae By Nick Minnich, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This Beak of the Week is short and stubby compared to its taxonomic ally, the Snow Goose. The Ross’s Goose is often referred to as a miniature version of the other white geese, previously belonging to the genus Chen. Like other […]
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Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni) Family: Passerellidae By Charlie Ayers, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s Beak of the Week brings pumpkin spice to the table, the Nelson’s Sparrow. The Nelson’s Sparrow is quite colorful for a member of this family. They can be identified by their bold yellow-orange faces, gray cheeks, and a neat […]
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Sneed B. Collard III, Author There’s no one right way to start birding. Some people begin by catching “birding fever” from friends. Others, by watching birds in their gardens. Perhaps a “spark bird” captures your attention and propels you into the larger joys of birding. Or maybe you get wowed by Blue-footed Boobies and Magnificent […]
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Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Family: Scolopacidae By Theresa Kelly, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s Beak of the Week may seem to be a bit of a misnomer, as the Red Knot’s winter plumage can be fairly drab: pale brown underneath and speckled on the back and wings just like so many other shorebirds. […]
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Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) Family: Scolopacidae By Nick Minnich, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician This week’s beak is nothing short of impressive. There’s a lot of information one can gather about a bird’s life simply by studying their physical characteristics; nonetheless, a bird’s bill often provides valuable insight into the species’ foraging and food preference. […]
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