From the Editor
Bird surprises
There’s still a lot about birds that we have yet to learn.
Features
Seabirds by sail
For intimate views of Maine’s puffin islands, nothing beats
a cruise on a historic schooner.
Uncommon raven
A California birder shares life and loss with backyard ravens.
The city shrike
The surprising reasons Loggerhead Shrike is doing well
in South Florida.
Make your birdwatching count!
50+ citizen-science projects taking place between now
and January 31.
Tablet Extras
See the articles from BirdWatching and other online resources that we added to our August issue.
Columns
Since You Asked
Answers to your questions
Mosquito-proofing your birdbath, why phalaropes spin, and more.
Birder at Large
Weather birds
Why bad weather and good birding often go together.
Attracting Birds
The right thing
Why you should send pigeons on their way.
Amazing Birds
Waste management
How birds keep their nests tidy.
ID Tips
Flycatchers of the Southwest
Learn to ID Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Thick-billed Kingbird, and more southwestern specialties.
ID Toolkit
Hidden color
How the way a bird arranges its feathers can change its appearance.
Hotspots Near You
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189. Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, Illinois
A riverfront park an hour from St. Louis where you can hear owls in summer and watch eagles and pelicans in winter.
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190. Riding Mountain National Park, Wasagaming, Manitoba
A vast park where boreal and hardwood forests, prairie grasslands, and aspen parklands meet, creating one of the best birding hotspots in all of Canada.
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191. Monticello Park, Alexandria, Virginia
A tiny tree-covered city park just outside Washington, D.C., where you have to point your binoculars down, not up, to see warblers.
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192. Fern Ridge Wildlife Area, Eugene, Oregon
A lake, prairie, and savanna west of Eugene where more than 250 bird species have been recorded.
Also in Every Issue
Birding Briefs
Important news about birds, birdwatching, and conservation.
Your View
Reader-submitted photographs, including the winner of our regular Photo of the Week contest.