Author and radio host Laura Erickson explains how to attract birds to your yard, behaviors to watch for, and more.
I’ve been hand-feeding mealworms to Black-capped Chickadees in my yard for many years, so I’ve had extraordinary opportunities to observe their behavior. They’re not banded … Read More “Simple chickadees observe a complex social hierarchy”
When I started birding, in 1975, I wasn’t interested in photography. I was a college student and couldn’t afford a telephoto lens or the expenses … Read More “Laura Erickson: How photography can open up a whole new world of birding”
In 2013, I tried to see as many birds as I could in the Lower 48. I recorded 604 species, each one a thrill. From … Read More “Why even a Big Year can’t compete with the comforts, and the birds, of home”
In fall 1975, my husband and I went to Port Wing, Wisconsin, on Lake Superior, where his parents were fixing up a house for retirement. … Read More “A reluctant farewell to a favorite spot for Le Conte’s Sparrow”
Several years ago, our neighbors decided to establish natural habitat in their front and back yards. They constructed a small pond with a recirculating pump … Read More “How habitat created by neighbors brought warblers, waxwings, and other birds to Laura Erickson’s yard”
In the 1964 movie Mary Poppins, “the little old bird woman” played by actress Jane Darwell sits on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral in … Read More “Laura Erickson tells why you shouldn’t feed pigeons”
One of my favorite birding spots has long been my mother-in-law’s place in the woods in northern Wisconsin. She started feeding birds there in 1975, … Read More “Laura Erickson describes a joyful return to a long-neglected feeder”
Redpolls invaded northern Minnesota in the fall of 2012. The tiny finches appeared in my Duluth yard in November and fed in droves in my … Read More “Why finches might not eat the Nyjer seed you provide”
American sparrows are among my favorite birds. Their understated beauty appeals to my very soul, but their subtle markings and limited color palette intimidate birders. … Read More “Attract ground-feeding sparrows without subsidizing House Sparrows”
