From the Editor

Common courtesy
When it comes to chasing rarities, sometimes we need to check our impulses.
Features

Dance of the Red Knot
New hope emerges for the horseshoe crab — and the well-traveled shorebird that relies on it.

Taking flight
Ten years ago, birders in Ohio launched a new bird festival and had an assist when North America’s rarest warbler showed up.

Flower power
A blooming hawthorn tree provides a spring birding bonus for Pennsylvania homeowners.

A birder discovers butterflies
Why it’s worth aiming your binoculars down and trying your eye at the delicate beauties.

Dream destinations
Nine top sites in the Americas where birders can see — and assist — birds of conservation concern.
Columns
Since You Asked

Answers to your questions
Whether Osprey always eat fish, clues left by a pigeon predator, and how birds deal with consuming salt.
Birder at Large

Blueprint for a Big Day
Advice for a fun and challenging 24 hours in the field.
Amazing Birds

Learning to sing
How the cleverly wired avian brain enables young birds to carry a tune.
Attracting Birds

Keys to attracting orioles
Oranges, nectar, and jelly can bring the pretty songbirds to your yard.
ID Tips

Snail Kite
What to look for on this raptor that is expanding its range northward in Florida.
ID Toolkit

Understanding wing feathers
Focusing on wing coverts can lead to further insights about birds.
Hotspots Near You
Also in Every Issue

Birding Briefs
Important news about birds, birdwatching, and conservation.
Bookshelf
8 new books for birders.