From the Editor
Be someone's spark
Don’t pass up the chance to nudge someone along the birding path.
Features
Feathered barometers
In spring, Yellow-crowned Night-Herons return earlier to breeding grounds than they did in the 1960s.
A beautiful beginning
How the distinctive Hooded Merganser sparked a love of birds.
Trade-off
Why migratory birds make long annual journeys while their close relatives remain in the tropics year-round.
Spring and summer festivals
90 events where you can find lots of birds, hear from experts, and have fun.
Columns
Since You Asked
Answers to your questions
Whether robins move their eggs, why hummingbirds consume ashes, and whether House Finches have caused declines in Purple Finches.
Birder at large
A Cooper's for Harold
Discerning the differences between Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks with Harold Axtell, birding’s senior statesman.
Attracting birds
Disappearing insects
How you can slow the decline in insects — and help birds, too.
Amazing Birds
Doing it all
Why male Satin Bowerbirds must master many skills.
ID Tips
Blue-winged Teal
How to tell it apart from Cinnamon and Green-winged Teal.
ID Toolkit
Eye-rings explained
How the shape and pattern of feathers around the eyes can help you identify birds.
Hotspots Near You
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271. Woodside Natural Area, Essex, Vermont
One of the birdiest places in Vermont. It's great for spring and fall warblers, as well as vireos, grosbeaks, and other birds.
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272. Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County, Indiana
Of the 18 warbler species that breed in Indiana, all of them can be found in this forest, including Cerulean.
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273. Cantigny Park, Wheaton, Illinois
This park near Chicago attracts dozens of warbler species, Purple Martin, and Red-headed Woodpecker, among others.
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274. Trinity River Audubon Sanctuary, Dallas, Texas
This sanctuary near Dallas is a great place to get children excited about birding.
Also in Every Issue
Birding Briefs
Important news about birds, birdwatching, and conservation.