Bird Nests and Breeding

A small brown and gray bird perches at the entrance of its dome-like, moss-and-lichen nest, holding plant material in its beak.

Bird Nests Tell Extraordinary Stories, If You Learn How to Read Them

March 29, 2023 — Casey McFarland, author of “Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests,” describes how paying attention to nests can improve your birding.

A round globular nest made of twigs and dry grasses with a hole for entry built in a cactus in a desert landscape.

Appreciate These Magnificent Avian Nests—and the Next One You Find in the Field

March 06, 2023 — Birds build an amazing variety of nest types, and each construction is a work of art.

A chickadee perched on a pine branch with a blue background.

In the Rockies, Human Activity Paves the Way for a Hybrid Bird Boom

January 12, 2023 — Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees mate more often than previously believed, research shows—especially where people disturb their habitat.

Bird Science

Let's Talk Turkey Beards

November 18, 2022 — They're real, and they're magnificent.

Bird Questions and Facts

These Early Nesters Get a Head Start on Breeding Season

March 17, 2022 — Not every bird species waits for spring to lay eggs and raise chicks.

A New Stunning Nest Guide Celebrates a Different Aspect of Birding

November 23, 2021 — The Peterson series displays the variety in crafted structures of a whopping 650 species. Co-author David Moskowitz shares insights from the field.

Field Guides