From the Editor

Playing favorites
Editor Chuck Hagner explains why our annual mid-year roundup of new books — and feature articles about coffee, whip-poor-wills, and Peregrine Falcons — are sure to increase your understanding and enjoyment of spring’s birds.
Features

Peregrine Battle
Dramatic photos show what happens when rival Peregrine Falcons compete for a preferred nest site on a bridge outside Cleveland, Ohio.

Whip-poor-will Synchronicity
Reminiscences of the role played by the whip-poor-will in two items of great beauty -- a famed short story by William Faulkner and a friendship with two Massachusetts birding legends.

Books for Birdwatchers
The 19 most notable books about birds and birdwatching from the first half of 2013, selected by the editors of BirdWatching.

The True Cost of Coffee: Your Questions Answered
Answers to readers' questions about our February 2013 article about coffee and birds, and a list of popular coffee brands that are bad for birds.
Columns
Since You Asked

Answers to your questions
Why we call a group of crows a murder, and what to do to keep nest mites from migrating to your home.
Birder at Large

Mercurial World
How Mother Nature balances gains and losses among bird species.
Attracting Birds

Bird by Bird
Five simple ways you can make your yard list grow.
Amazing Birds

When Eggs Hatch
How large and small eggs and long and short incubation periods affect different hatchlings' survival chances.
ID Tips

Gambel's Quail
How to distinguish Gambel's Quail from California and Scaled Quail. Plus, what to look for to recognize the unusual Gambel's Quail X Scaled Quail hybrid.
ID Toolkit

Dealing with Variation
What to look for when a bird looks other than expected.
Hotspots Near You
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.