Perching Birds

Suet is a fat long used in British cooking. But in the U.S., this high-calorie, nutritious item is favored as bird food. Here's why.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Macaws mate for life, can speak human words and have even been known to blush when delighted.

By Laurie L. Dove

Bird mobs are not roving gangs of thug birds. But they are bands of birds coming together to harass bigger predators. And the behavior is loud and raucous.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Starlings are short and thick, with dark feathers and long, pointy bills. Collectively, however, they transform into something else entirely.

By John Donovan

Berries are a great food source for birds, but this diet can backfire when the fruit starts to ferment.

By Jesslyn Shields

Only birds have a special voice box — the syrinx — and it's what they use to sing. But what's so unique about the syrinx is that it's actually an evolutionary anomaly.

By Jesslyn Shields

Why do birds do that? A global citizen science project wants you to help them find out.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Partial migration — where some animals or birds in the same species migrate regularly and others don't — is more common than you'd think. But what explains that behavior?

By Mark Mancini

The American swamp sparrow has created an oral tradition that's lasted more than a millennium.

By Laurie L. Dove

What benefit does one bird get from copying another bird's calls?

By Mark Mancini

It's easy to mistake a crow for a raven or vice versa. But the two birds are actually pretty different.

By Mark Mancini

Most of the scientific attention to birdsong has been paid to the male of the species. But many female birds sing too — and scientists are starting to understand how important it is to study them as well.

By Alia Hoyt

Does your parakeet understand the cardinal chirping outside its window? Can a pigeon's noises mean anything to a crow? Yes, it can.

By Mark Mancini

Sure, your voice is great. But can you move? That's what female Java sparrows want to know before they get busy, a new study finds.

By Chris Opfer

From tail to beak the American crow appears totally black. In the right light, however, a green or bluish tinge suddenly makes a showing.

Catching sight of this gray bird with a brick-red belly usually signifies the start of spring. Read on to learn more about this bird.

The blue jay can be seen roaming the skies in deciduous forests, but is also a common sight in city parks and back yards. Read on to learn more about this bird.

This medium-sized sparrow can vary in color, but is generally slate gray with a white belly and, of course, dark eyes. Read on to learn more about this bird.

True to its name the male eastern bluebird is colored a brilliant blue along its back, wings and tail. Read on to learn more about this bird.

Contrary to its name, the eastern kingbird can be seen in the skies throughout North America as well as in the Amazon. Read on to learn more about this bird.

Smaller than a robin, this black bird turns a striking iridescent purple and green in the spring. Read on to learn more about this bird.

The great horned is a large owl and varies in color according to its place of residence. Read on to learn more about this bird.

Widespread across North America, this bird gets its name from the sorrowful song it sings. Read on to learn more about this bird.

Northern cardinals are probably one of the most easily identifiable birds of its species because of its bright red color. Read on to learn more about this bird.

The red-winged blackbird is found across the United States in wetlands and grassy areas, including marshes and meadows. Read on to learn more about this bird.