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Birding/Questions Answered by Expert Julia Booth
| Subject | Date Asked |
| pigeons babies | 12/9/2010 |
| Q: i have 4 pigeons with various disabilities that cannot fend for themselves. They have a house to ... A: Pigeon hatchlings typically eat every two hours. They are quite active during feedings. If they ... | |
| cowbirds siblings recognition | 12/8/2010 |
| Q: Sometime ago, I studied the cowbirds and I observed that their offspring did not recognized each ... A: I have always considered the answer to this question to be a major cop out, scientifically speaking. ... | |
| whistling | 11/24/2010 |
| Q: My baby dove is whistling but not cooing. Is there a praticular age or stage they must reach before ... A: It's funny actually. The whistling sound does not come from their mouth. It is the effect of air ... | |
| whistling | 11/21/2010 |
| Q: My baby dove is whistling but not cooing. Is there a praticular age or stage they must reach before ... A: Sorry for the delay. First of all, there are many species of doves and they are not all the same. I ... | |
| Hawk identification help | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: I have had a visitor the last two mornings and cannot ID the species. We have several types of ... A: Yes, that's a Cooper's Hawk. Females of this species are larger than males and can be up to 50cm in ... | |
| injured turkey | 11/5/2010 |
| Q: I have a Royal Palm tom turkey on my property that was severely injured by roaming dogs-very lucky ... A: My answer kind of depends on whether or not this turkey is a pet, or if he's merely being raised to ... | |
| Owl identification | 11/1/2010 |
| Q: Saw your recent answer about an LA owl. I have two who frequently my home in Benedict Canyon. ... A: That is way too large to be a screech. They don't usually exceed nine inches and they tend to be ... | |
| Black bird with all white head | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: I have seen this bird two times in the past couple of weeks on the side of the road maybe eating ... A: There are three possibilities here, that immediately spring to mind. Perhaps you can help me narrow ... | |
| Underground Swallow nest? | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: i'm a student major in architecture. my project requires me to build a 'building' shelter for one ... A: The only birds I know of that nest underground are puffins and penguins, kingfishers and burrowing ... | |
| can migratory swallows kept in the zoo? | 10/9/2010 |
| Q: i'm a student major in architecture. my project requires me to build a 'building' shelter for one ... A: If the temperature is controlled, any bird can survive without migrating, theoretically speaking. ... | |
| Eye injury on a dove | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: I found an injured dove...It looks to have an eye injury and mostly seems to walk in circles...I ... A: Flying into a window is more likely, especially for doves, which are not very bright. PAWR does not ... | |
| Eye injury on a dove | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: I found an injured dove...It looks to have an eye injury and mostly seems to walk in circles...I ... A: I have seen doves survive with one leg. Yes, it can live with one good eye. But it will be at a ... | |
| hatching | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: A PIGEON LAID TWO EGGS AT MY WINDOW. SHE SITS ON HER EGGS DURING THE DAY ( LIKE FOR 9 HOURS) BUT SHE ... A: First of all, if this pigeon is a "single" parent, it is very rare. I have been bird watching for 15 ... | |
| hatching | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: A PIGEON LAID TWO EGGS AT MY WINDOW. SHE SITS ON HER EGGS DURING THE DAY ( LIKE FOR 9 HOURS) BUT SHE ... A: Traditionally, with pigeons, both parents participate in the building of the nest and the incubating ... | |
| baby dove | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a dove nest above my door. yesterday I saw the mother taken in mid flight by a hawk. There ... A: Hold on. I gave you the wrong info. Got you mixed up with someone else who just emailed me. Give me ... | |
| Red Breasted Robin | 9/14/2010 |
| Q: How many clutches do robins have per year? Do they nest when they migrate south in the winter? A: Robins can have up to three clutches a year. They will continue to feed young that have already ... | |
| What bird did I see? | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I saw a bird in my yard today. I have bird feeders that service a lot of sparrows, finches and one ... A: I actually answered this question back when you sent it. I wrote a rather lengthy reply. Now the ... | |
| wild turkey - injured leg | 9/6/2010 |
| Q: We have had wild turkeys around for the past couple of years. We feed them sunflower seeds and ... A: The sheet idea is your best bet. I've never caught a turkey that way. But it works on chickens, ... | |
| Hawk/Falcon/Eagle identification?? | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: I was out in my yard today and i saw a little grey squirrel running along the top of our wooden ... A: My immediate guess, based in the physical description and the hunting behavior, would be Cooper's ... | |
| Strange smoke from LBJ | 8/31/2010 |
| Q: For the past 4 evenings, there has been a pair of what I think are Carolina Wrens(?) that return to ... A: The closest approximation is something called smoke bathing. But that does not traditionally include ... | |
| wild bird molting behaviors | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: I have a general question about wild birds in general. During the molt, is it true they don't ... A: Yes, the majority of bird species will not sing during their regular molt. This does not just apply ... | |
| birds | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: A few years ago when I was out in the garden, I saw a bird flew into our house. I thought it would ... A: I'm assuming that this is based on the theory that birds are attracted to light? The thing is, most ... | |
| birds | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: A few years ago when I was out in the garden, I saw a bird flew into our house. I thought it would ... A: When you say into, I'm going to assume you mean literally. As in, the bird collided with the house. ... | |
| License? | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: How difficult/is it possible to obtain a wildlife license for the keeping of one game bird? ... A: As far as I know, unless you are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, according to the Migratory Bird ... | |
| jay bird ID? | 8/25/2010 |
| Q: OK.. I was originally typing to you to help me ID a bird. upon closer inspection... these are ... A: No, they're not sick. But it certainly does look that way. They are just going through their end of ... | |
| Hummingbird....accident | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: I accidently fed hummingbirds cranberry juice, they didn't drink it much but it took me 4 days to ... A: I have never done it. But many birders apparently fill their oriole feeders with non-sweetened ... | |
| Small bird | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: The birds were in the trees. They're extremely small, and hard to see because they move so fast and ... A: Definitely a bushtit. Good job. They're a riot to watch. They never sit still. They're active at ... | |
| birds screeching all night in Los Angeles | 8/14/2010 |
| Q: For the last month there have been several birds in three trees around our house that screech from ... A: An owl in Los Angeles kind of narrows it down. Sounds like a Western Screech Owl. Similar ear tufts ... | |
| Green pigeon - South Africa | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: I have a friend in South Africa (I live in New Zealand) that spotted a strangely coloured pigeon in ... A: Sounds very interesting. I would love to see the images. But I'm guessing that like my facebook ... | |
| eastern bluebirds | 8/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a pair of eastern bluebirds nesting in a box on my front porch. I have been putting out ... A: You noted that things have changed since the eggs hatched. I always tell people that their first ... | |
| tweety bird | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: I live in Florida. There is a bird that makes the sound "tweety bird, tweety bird, tweety bird." I ... A: Only you know for sure what you heard, and your description is still rather vague. The way that you ... | |
| tweety bird | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: I live in Florida. There is a bird that makes the sound "tweety bird, tweety bird, tweety bird." I ... A: Florida has more species of birds than almost every other state in the US, the exceptions being ... | |
| Jimmy the baby sparrow | 7/25/2010 |
| Q: My friends brother found a baby sparrow on the ground. We thought he was rejected or he fell out. We ... A: "We thought he was rejected or he fell out." This is an urban myth. Birds do not typically reject ... | |
| Mourning Dove | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a Mourning dove that's fly's on my deck during the day and it stays under the canopy. I ... A: I cannot tell you with 100% certainty what the bird is doing. But it sounds to me like it's nesting ... | |
| Mourning dove hatching a robins egg | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: After a wicked rain storm a robins egg was found in my yard. I could not find the nest it came from. ... A: I don't think an idea like that is either good or bad. Your circumstances were extenuating and you ... | |
| chimney sweep | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: I have been raising a chimney sweep for 3 days. He was in an industrial area and would have been ... A: It's hard to let them go, after taking care of them like that. But as odd as it may sound, their ... | |
| what bird is this | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: I went on a late hike , on my way back I heard chirping.,..thing a ground bird nest.. next I hear a ... A: The height implies a raptor of some sort. The location says it could be a bald eagle, a rough-legged ... | |
| Sparrow depends on me to eat | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: I rescued a house sparrow almost 3 weeks ago. Had hardly any feathers and was near dead. We fed him ... A: Typically they fledge at around 14 days old, and do not require their parents to feed them past that ... | |
| what bird is this | 7/11/2010 |
| Q: I went on a late hike , on my way back I heard chirping.,..thing a ground bird nest.. next I hear a ... A: Is there a complete sentence in here somewhere? I can't see it. LOL. Bear in mind that if you can't ... | |
| Cedar Waxwing or not? | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: We live in Upstate NY, Saratoga area, and there is a large group of birds cleaning out the false ... A: Honestly -there is no other bird that is crested and bears the same black mask. The bohemian waxwing ... | |
| general question about swallows | 7/7/2010 |
| Q: We have for a couple of months had swallows in our garage in a nest over the electric meter,there ... A: With swallows,generally both parents participate in the feeding and caring for the young. But I see ... | |
| bird identification | 7/7/2010 |
| Q: I live in Nashville, Tn. Today, I saw a bird that I could not identify, even using my Audubon ... A: Sounds like a crimson collared grosbeak. The species is currently "threatened" and listed as ... | |
| bird ID | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: and I have a question about a bird I saw come to a finch feeder. The bird was alone,was a greenish ... A: Well only you know for sure what you saw. But neither the female or the juvenille orchard oriole ... | |
| bird ID | 7/5/2010 |
| Q: and I have a question about a bird I saw come to a finch feeder. The bird was alone,was a greenish ... A: The only bird I can think of that fits this description would be a female painted bunting. Their ... | |
| Bird nesting and 4th of July | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: I have a cardinal nesting in a hibiscus tree on my small deck. The eggs are about 10 days old and ... A: You don't have to do anything. Cardinals have grown accustomed to urban living. If the mama bird had ... | |
| Robin nesting on my porch | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: A lovely thing it is...robin nesting in my hanging fuchsia plant on my back deck. She is quite safe. ... A: Robins are famous for nesting in inconvenient places. Three to five hours isn't too long, unless it ... | |
| Robin nesting on my porch | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: A lovely thing it is...robin nesting in my hanging fuchsia plant on my back deck. She is quite safe. ... A: I would not move the nest. Most of the time, birds that we assume have been abandoned have not ... | |
| Cardinal nest | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: A cardinal built a nest on my porch, in my garden shed. My son and I decided it was not a good area ... A: The whole concept that a bird will abandon its own young, if they've been touched by human hands is ... | |
| abandoned swallows | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: Swallows built a nest in one of our bird houses. During a very warm day yesterday we erected a ... A: Did you doom them? It's possible. But we have no way to prove it. So it's pointless to dwell on it. ... | |
| Robin eggs | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: A robin built a nest on our front porch under the eve. I looked in it and saw two eggs. A robin sat ... A: They're not physically capable of moving their eggs. What condition is the nest in? Is there ... | |
| Baby robins taken | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: We had three baby robins in a tree beside our screened porch. It was enjoyable watching mom and dad ... A: Yes, they mourn. And robins are especially known for this. Both parents participate in caring for ... | |
| Young Chimney Sweep | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: I found a young chimney sweep in our fireplace. I le it be for a while to see if the mother would ... A: Forgive me. I had a family emergency and was unable to access internet. Caring for a baby bird is a ... | |
| mournig doves | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: when a mourning dove hatches what should i feed it? A: My first inquiry would be why/how you're in possession of a mourning dove egg to begin with. It's ... | |
| broken eggs from nest | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: A mother bird swallow size<grayish in color with brown/white thin stripes on wings>>appears to have ... A: Bird description sounds like a wren. As for the culprit, there are so many possibilities here ... | |
| finch | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: ive found a baby house finch help A: I'm sure this isn't what you want to hear. But in my experience, people rarely "find" baby birds. ... | |
| question | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: do you have any advice about nest cams for bluebird house and robin nest in a tree. A: I have observed a nest cam. But I have never actually set one up. Here are some links that might be ... | |
| eggs | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: do you have any tips for me because i have all 3 eggs on a heating pad. HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TURN THE ... A: Well first of all, it is illegal to keep or remove sparrow eggs, regardless of their condition. It's ... | |
| Amazing bird with White Head | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: I read that you saw an unusual white headed bird. I have walked past a house nearby three times ... A: It sounds like it IS a robin, a robin with partial albinism, which does occur more frequently that ... | |
| dead sparrows | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: please try to find the answer to the question as quickly as possible. for five years now ive had a ... A: Infanticide among birds is not as rare as one would think. I'm copying and pasting the text of what ... | |
| hurt sparrow | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: since fri 3-19-10 i noticed a sparrow female? flopping around my yard eating from ground food i have ... A: Here are some good resources for caring for injured birds: ... | |
| Which bird is this? | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: I want to know if this bird is swan goose or any other species. Please tell me its species if it is ... A: It appears to be a domestic goose hybrid of a swan goose. I cannot say what other species it might ... | |
| Bird eggs | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: There is this bird in my backyard that has made a nest and i thinks its a house finch and it has ... A: Depending on your location, that would be either an Eastern or Western Meadowlark. There is actually ... | |
| Bird eggs | 3/14/2010 |
| Q: There is this bird in my backyard that has made a nest and i thinks its a house finch and it has ... A: Without seeing what the eggs look like with my own eyes, I can't tell you for sure if they are ... | |
| bira flockd name | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I've seen a flock of birds with greyish feathers with a dull orange chest. I've seen them in the ... A: My immediate response is American Robin. They fit the description, the time of day and the location ... | |
| Woodpeckers | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: Why are red-bellied woodpeckers called that? I have some coming to my suet and have identified them ... A: Red-bellied Woodpeckers do not have bright red bellies, which sort of makes their name kind of ... | |
| Question | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: how are you going? :-) Every day for the past few years, a froup of wild pigeons come to our ... A: The food they market for budgies tends to be mostly millet, and is not high in quality, unless you ... | |
| Question | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: how are you going? :-) Every day for the past few years, a froup of wild pigeons come to our ... A: Bacterial infections are more common in birds that live in colonies, where there is apt to be ... | |
| identification | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: I live in Southwest Florida, and my bird feeder attracts an array of birds, mostly starlings, ... A: Possibilities are Black Phoebe, Bobolink, Lark Bunting, Brewer's Blackbird. I cannot tell you for ... | |
| Suet for Woodpeckers | 2/23/2010 |
| Q: Do you have a simple recipe for suet for woodpeckers, which includes hot pepper? I have many, many ... A: I'm sorry for making you wait. I had some family issues. I do not personally have any special ... | |
| unwanted mockingbird behavior | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: Large well established seed feeders underneath house eaves. Mockingbird has taken over and will not ... A: I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But the truth is, your options are limited. Mockingbirds are US ... | |
| night bird | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: I really hope you can help us....first of all this bird was heard in the Free State Province of ... A: Description of sound and appearance make me think Barn Owl. Their call resembles that of a human ... | |
| What kind of bird is this? | 2/9/2010 |
| Q: this is a finch or sparrow type bird - but with a bright orange tail? Your input will be ... A: Knowing where you live would be helpful. But that looks to me like a House Finch. The tail just ... | |
| A bird that could be an eagle or a hawk | 1/31/2010 |
| Q: I read a post online about a man who described to you a bird he saw out the window. I believe this ... A: I'm not sure what other post you're referring to. But that appears to be a Red-Shouldered Hawk. ... | |
| zebra finch | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: 2 males and 2 females. they are in a new cage now, in a new environment. However, they have all ... A: They could just be molting, grooming themselves or they could have mites. It could mean nothing at ... | |
| Orange bird | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: I live about 20 miles west of Boston MA. Yesterday 1/5/10 on the cable line outside my house I saw a ... A: Again, I appear to be stumped. There are only a handful of truly “orange” birds that live in your ... | |
| Orange bird | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: I live about 20 miles west of Boston MA. Yesterday 1/5/10 on the cable line outside my house I saw a ... A: I went through all four of my books. But I know of no bird that is native to MASS that would fit ... | |
| baby swallow | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: I found a baby swallow last night. It looks like he's got no eyes. Do their eyes open later or is ... A: If it's eyes are not yet open, chances are that it's far to young to survive in your care. But this ... | |
| DO BIRDS LIKE HUMAN MUSIC? | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: We have sparrows living in the vines and bushes around our building. I feed them daily, and have ... A: Birds love music and sounds of all kinds. Because hearing is generally their strongest sense, i ... | |
| bird id ga. | 12/8/2009 |
| Q: My inside cat recently got out and caught a bird and carried it in the house alive. I took it and ... A: Sounds like a wren to me. They tend to eat on the ground and move vertically along tree trunks, ... | |
| Really BIG crows | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I know little about bird but this intrigued me. I live in Boise Idaho. Today, out front I saw two ... A: Based on your location, the size and the hopping start, I'd say what you're seeing ARE Ravens. But ... | |
| Hawk ID | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: Please help me ID this biid (image attached). I live in Salisbury, Wicomico COunty, MD. The bird ... A: Looking at it from this angle, I'm going to have to change my answer to female Northern Goshawk. ... | |
| What kind of Hawk is this? | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I saw this hawk for the second time this week in our neighbor's lemon tree. He was being harassed ... A: Looks like a Cooper's Hawk. They are known for biting off more that they can chew in regards to ... | |
| Hawk ID | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: Please help me ID this biid (image attached). I live in Salisbury, Wicomico COunty, MD. The bird ... A: I'm going to go with Broad-Winged Hawk on this one. The picture makes it hard to see any of the ... | |
| Bird broken leg | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: I've just got a RingNick green Indian parrot. She was doing very will and she was very healthy, she ... A: The leg MAY heal on its own, but not necessarily and not necessarily correctly. Just like with a ... | |
| Need help with an identification | 11/16/2009 |
| Q: I was on vacation in the south Caribbean when I took this picture (it was off the coast of Saint ... A: There are Blue Footed, Red Footed and Brown Boobies. Another similar bird is the Gannet. I'm not ... | |
| Baby Bird | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: I found a baby bird one week ago today in a parking lot. I have owned and worked with birds in the ... A: Really there isn't much involved in releasing a non-bird of prey. You take it outside, hold it in ... | |
| Baby Bird | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: I found a baby bird one week ago today in a parking lot. I have owned and worked with birds in the ... A: I have never heard of feeding a "baby" bird anything of a liquid consistency with a dropper. That is ... | |
| grown sparrow | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: Rescued a full grown sparrow from my cats today. She has survived but no tail feathers left, can't ... A: You may have her for a while. Like you said, until the molt. Could be two months. If you keep her in ... | |
| aggressive behavior | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I saved him when he fall from his nest. He was probably 2 weeks old, and when I tried to put him ... A: No. He'll be fine. Usually we worry about re-releasing birds into the wild when they are predatory, ... | |
| RE: aggressive behavior | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a beautiful Northern Cardinal that I saved last May. He was acting very sweet like a normal ... A: First of all, Cardinals are aggressive to begin with. They become even more so when confined to a ... | |
| Homework | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: What type of birds like oat groats that live in Va Beach? A: Kind of sounds like you're trying to get me to do your research for you, which I doubt was the ... | |
| baby bird ID | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: My cat has brought in a live baby bird. its brown speckled with black spots, it has a white band ... A: Not being an expert on birds from your country, I can't tell you for sure. But if you could take ... | |
| Duck speed? | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: When I was younger, I heard on this show called Henry's Amazing Animals that there were some ducks ... A: I have heard the fastest that a duck can fly is 60 miles per hour. But that would be in a burst. ... | |
| New born bird - what are they called? | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: Do new born birds have a name that they are called? Also, what do call a male and a female, in ... A: Generally a bird that has hatched from its egg but not left its nest is called a fledgling. Because ... | |
| Pigeon Expert - New York City area | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: We are looking for an expert in pigeons who can testify in court regarding the health hazards of ... A: CDC can give you numbers associated with illnesses that are spread by the pigeon population. I ... | |
| Grackels throwing acorns | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I live in St. Louis, MO and every year about this time when the acorns fill the oak tree in my yard, ... A: At the risk of sounding unscientific, grackles are crazy. I have seen them do some pretty insane ... | |
| orioles | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: (We love our hummingbirds) Also, we want to attract orioles. We live in Minnesota in summer and ... A: You can shop around for a better price. But this website had decent examples of everything I'm going ... | |
| bird identification | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: My boys and I have seen this bird around. We are very excited. However, there is some debate in ... A: Still can't tell you for sure. Falcons will eat raw meat. Sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks are known ... | |
| bird identification | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: My boys and I have seen this bird around. We are very excited. However, there is some debate in ... A: This is really not a high quality enough image for me to give you a 100% accurate ID. Yes, it's a ... | |
| hummingbirds | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: When hummingbirds fly in the rain, why do they NOT get knocked out by the big drops? It has to be ... A: Hummingbirds do fly in the rain and because they are moving at such a vast speed, they appear to be ... | |
| Baby pigeon cannot walk | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: THE BABY PIGEON IS 17 DAYS OLD AND CANNOT STAND UP.IT MORE OR LESS PULLS ITSELF WITH IT'S BEAK AND ... A: I'm not a vet. But usually when a bird cannot support themselves, it's related to their bones, which ... | |
| Vaux swifts in our chimney | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: We have been seeing swifts enter our chimney each night at dusk. We believe they are vaux swifts. ... A: Portland is a major migration point for Swifts. Here is a good link. ... | |
| BIRD+population | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: WHAT+IS+MOST+PREVALENT+BIRD+IN+US.+....+GEOGRAPHICALLY+DISTRIBUTED++AND+THEN+NUMERICALLY.+I+ASSUME+T ... A: You're asking about two separate things here, abundance and distribition. Which aren't necessarily ... | |
| bird identification | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: I apologize for the sketchy info. Heard the bird(did not see)@ approx. 11:00 p.m. tonight, Aug 31. ... A: Given the fact that you can't get a visual on it and detect no movement, my immediate thought is it ... | |
| Hummingbird food | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: I just got a hummingbird feeder, and may make my own food to put in it. If i do four part water and ... A: It won't harm them. But it's not necessary. If the spout on the feeder is red or yellow or ... | |
| what kind of bird is this?? | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: we were at Barr lake, a colorado state park. we saw this bird on a tree, some distance away. barr ... A: That does appear to be a juvenile Bald Eagle. From what I understand, Barr Lake is a nesting ... | |
| mocking bird | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a nest in my wisteria bush and it has babies. We had a storm and it shifted the nest, now the ... A: Without knowing the specifics of how the nest is constructed, I can't say for sure what you can do. ... | |
| i have an injured thrush | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: i have an injured thrush,she was hit by a truck we think, and we are feeding her apple and crushed ... A: Thrush are not big seed or grain eaters. Their diet consists mostly of grashoppers, crickets, ... | |
| Bird identification | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I live south of Salt Lake City and I have about 100 large migrating birds eating grasshoppers in my ... A: I didn't even think about the ibis. Yes, from a great distance they would appear to be blackish. ... | |
| sparrow | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: I am in New Zealand. just found a sparrow on the lawn having spasms, it can't stand or fly and seems ... A: I don't know what the laws are where you live. Naturally it would be illegal to poison a bird in the ... | |
| Bird identification | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I live south of Salt Lake City and I have about 100 large migrating birds eating grasshoppers in my ... A: The only long legged birda with a curved bill that are "blackish" and would be found at the Salt ... | |
| Mud nests | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: We recently returned from a trip to California; we stayed in Oakhurst, near Yosemite, for five days. ... A: Given your description and the location, I'm thinking either barn swallow or black phoebe. The cliff ... | |
| Egret behavior | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I observed a Great Egret walking in some landscaping by a busy road outside our neighborhood two ... A: Fish. Ponds in people's yards or small man-made bodies of water. An egret will walk as far as a mile ... | |
| Juvenile Raptor Question | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: Can you please help me identify these 2 juvenile raptors? I live in Alberta, Canada. These birds ... A: My immediate thought is those are juvenile Cooper's Hawks. But I have never felt 100% confident ... | |
| when to realease | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: it is now fully feathered but still has some yellow wirery featheres . it is feeding well and can ... A: I'm not sure what you mean by yellow or wiry. If the bird's feathers have not completely grown in, ... | |
| Blue Jay Aggression | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: Recently, we've experienced an increase in the number of Blue Jays on our property visiting our bird ... A: How are your feeders arranged? Are they near your windows? Blue jays love shiny surfaces and tend to ... | |
| stellar jay | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: WE live in port coquitlam B.C. and we have stellar jays here. I want to know if stellar jays sing. ... A: Stellar's Jays usually make this kind of nasal "wank" sort of sound, while in flight. Typically ... | |
| baby bird attacked | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: We have a birdhouse on a tree truck outside. There is a mother and baby birds in there. Today I saw ... A: Blue jays frequently feed on the eggs and young of other birds. If by some chance the baby survives ... | |
| Mourning Dove | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: I found a mourning dove sitting in my yard. It sat for quite some time before I went out. My cats ... A: Sad as it sounds, doves are not very bright. That's why they get eaten. If it does starve to death ... | |
| Pls Identify this bird | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: Please identify this bird for me. @@@@@IMAGE:29673:Birding-1435/2009/07/New.jpg##### ANSWER: Given ... A: Okay I honestly usually only handle questions regarding North American birds. I'm familiar enough ... | |
| Bird Sound | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I am on Mount Desert Island, Maine. There is a bird that I have not seen with a very distinctive ... A: You know, that was going to be one of my guesses. But I didn't feel confident enough about the info ... | |
| agressive robin | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a robin nest in a tree at the entrance to my utility shed. It is on a low branch. Every ... A: I'm going to assume when you say attack, you mean they dive at you and make noise. This is their ... | |
| Don;t wnt birds on my balcony | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: May be you think it is silly to ask your opinion about the way I can keep the pigeons out of my ... A: I love birds. But let's face it. Pigeons are rats with wings. A few in the park are nice. But 500 of ... | |
| Bird Sound | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: I am on Mount Desert Island, Maine. There is a bird that I have not seen with a very distinctive ... A: Okay I went over this a few times and because of where you live and the vagueness of your ... | |
| observation | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: Julia thank you for sharing your expertise, awesome. I live in NWO have 40 acres and feed birds, ... A: I'm hearing Neil Young singing "there is a town in North Ontario..." (I'm assuming NWO is Northwest ... | |
| Bird Sound | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: I am on Mount Desert Island, Maine. There is a bird that I have not seen with a very distinctive ... A: There are actually a few owls and a number of birds that might meet that description. It would ... | |
| will a mockingbird reuse a nest where it's dead baby remains? | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: i found a nest with 3 baby mockingbirds 7 days ago.. the mother and father had been actively ... A: I have seen Mockingbirds have trouble accepting the death of an offspring. But I've never seen one ... | |
| Finch nest in my hanging plant | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: A female finch has made a nest in my hanging plant on my front porch. Since I noticed the nest ... A: Being a wild animal, I'm sure it's already taken into consideration that water might fall from the ... | |
| dead baby robins | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: We're in NW Michigan (Lake City) and w/in the last 2 days have buried 4 baby robins, 3 decapitated. ... A: Wow that sucks. I cannot tell you for sure what happened. But I can tell you what I think might ... | |
| Baby Sparrow | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: My daughter found this baby sparrow 3 days ago and has been taking good care of it feeding it ... A: I don't want to assume here, as I am not a vet. But when feeding baby birds, one has to be extremely ... | |
| Baby Doves | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a Morning Dove who made a nest in my rain gutter. She sat on the nest for a several weeks ... A: If the babies are as large as you say, then they are old enough to fledge and fend for themselves. ... | |
| Help identifying | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: Could you please help to identify this bird? Approximately 3-4 inches long. See attached photo. ... A: It would help me to know what state you were in. But given the size, the shape and length of the ... | |
| Mallard Duck | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: We raised a baby mallard to adolescent successfully. Before the duck left on her own...she quit ... A: So you raised the duckling from the point it hatched, until it was ready to fledge. So 8 weeks? And ... | |
| injured mallard | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I discovered a injured mallard who feeds daily under my bird feeder. She has a badly broken leg. I ... A: It would help to know where you lived. I can give you the wildlife rehab directory for the US ... | |
| 3 robins eggs | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: I discovered this robin's nest in my blue spruce tree one day. After a week or so I didn't see the ... A: Given the period of time that the eggs went unattended, I seriously doubt they are viable. Birds ... | |
| Baby Mockingbirds | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: For the first time, we have what I'm pretty sure are Northern Mockingbirds in our yard (we are in ... A: Yes, unfortunately that is normal. Mockingbirds are perhaps one of the nosiest urban birds, and that ... | |
| Woodpecker species... | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: Hoping you may be able to help me out... My name is Dustin & I live in St.Catharines, ON. Canada. I ... A: Just based on the patch you're describing -which is called an occipital patch, I'm thinking it's has ... | |
| Abandoned bird nest? | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I was struck by the question I just read because we noticed a beautiful Robin's bird nest in a bush ... A: No, traditionally Robins do not leave their nests unattended. They are usually very attached to ... | |
| Looking for confirmation on an ID | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: Julia, I took this photo in Berlin, Vermont on April 24, 2009 at 1:06 pm. The bird in this photo ... A: That is a Dark-Eyed Junco. The species varies geographically and has a number of sub-species. This ... | |
| Bird ID | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: we saw a bird a couple of times now in the backyard at this Mesa Az home. It is all all gray except ... A: Flying from the ground to the gate, but not in the air makes me think some kind of peafowl or ... | |
| bird identification | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: Dark blue bird with crest - about size of Cardinal - has large lite seed eating beak - upper beak ... A: The Phainopepla is black, appearing glossy blue when reflected by sunlight. I wouldn't have ... | |
| Bird ID? | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: we have been seeing a crow sized gray bird, all gray, here in Mesa AZ. Alone, at dusk the crested ... A: I'm assuming this isn't the same bird that you described in the other question. It's got to be ... | |
| Bird ID | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: we saw a bird a couple of times now in the backyard at this Mesa Az home. It is all all gray except ... A: The only thing remotely close in appearance to a chachalaca that you'd find living native in AZ ... | |
| unknown bird | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: I saw this bird at the Albuquerque zoo but I do not think it was in an exhibit. It was near the ... A: That's a Black-Crowned Night Heron, which is actually native to the area and probably just hanging ... | |
| Unknown bird | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: What kind of bird is this? I live in Athens Texas and took this photo a few days ago. I first ... A: Looks like the Myrtle Warbler, which is a sub-species of the Yellow-Rumped Warbler found in the ... | |
| bird on door | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: Some birds have been nesting on our door and we're trying to figure out what type of birds they are. ... A: I cannot say with 100% certainty, at this stage. But those look like House finches to me. Often ... | |
| Mourning Doves Nesting at Front Porch | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: We live in Southern California (Redondo Beach). A couple of days ago (approx. April 21), I noticed ... A: 1. There are birds where this would be an issue. But doves are not one of them. They are docile and ... | |
| dove egg | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I live in the Hunan province of China. A chinese spotted dove, Streptopelia chinensis, built a ... A: It's possible that the egg she's sitting on isn't actually fertile. Doves are not very smart and ... | |
| abandoned robin eggs | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: my neighbor and i found a nest with 4 robin eggs in it. it has been about a week since the mother ... A: Eggs being truly abandoned and forgotten by a bird is very rare. It's twice as rare with Robins, ... | |
| Nesting | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: Birds have nested in a hole in the eaves. There are several of these holes that are protected by ... A: It depends on what you mean by concern. If you plug the hole and the birds are still in there and ... | |
| What do i feed a robin...from MB, Canada | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: i found an adult Robin redbreast hoping around in our yard. One of it's wings seems injuried, and i ... A: Raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, figs, small seeds, live earthworms, live crickets, and other ... | |
| Robin attacking house | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: I have read the articles about robin's attacking houses and that we need to eliminate the ... A: This is the most comprehensive site I've found that explains how to prevent that from happening. ... | |
| bird on door | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: Some birds have been nesting on our door and we're trying to figure out what type of birds they are. ... A: It sounds like a House Finch, at least by the color and description. They're famous for nesting in ... | |
| Nesting behavior | 4/17/2009 |
| Q: There are 6 eggs in my backyard eastern bluebird nest box.I have not seen the male for 2 days now. I ... A: Here is a great link for bluebird nesting behavior: http://www.bluebirdnut.com/Nesting%20Habits.htm ... | |
| Robins Nest | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: My wife and I noticed a robins nest outside our window with 3 eggs. Today my wife found 1 egg on the ... A: No way to know for sure if the remaining eggs are viable. She may sit on them, even if they're not. ... | |
| ROBIN'S NEST | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: It build it under my canopy on a small beam. It's where we go down the stair to the street. The nest ... A: I don't know about luck. I always tell people they've been chosen, when a bird nests in, on or ... | |
| Cardinals | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a nest in one of my bushes. There are 3 eggs. She started sitting on the nest 4/8/09. I ... A: Cardinals do not move their eggs. Actually no birds do. They're in a low bush, meaning they could ... | |
| Funny noise from a turkey | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: , im on my holidays and i went to a farm nearby (open to public) and there was a bird section there ... A: That's a mating display. He was attempting to impress the females with his breeding plumage. The ... | |
| What have I found? | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: I live on the western shore of Lake Michigan, in Milwaukee, WI and several weeks ago in mid-morning ... A: I can give you some very good guesses, based on your location and description. You can look at these ... | |
| can you identify this nest | 4/11/2009 |
| Q: I live in North central Florida suwannee county. I have a bluebird house out on a fence in my back ... A: She won't abandon her nest, if you take a closer look. That's something of a myth. So feel free to ... | |
| Goose Egg | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: I found a goose egg yesterday while I was fishing by this little river. There was a goose dead that ... A: First I'm going to tell you that the chances of the egg being viable at this point, are very slim. ... | |
| Bird Poo Identification | 4/4/2009 |
| Q: We live in Canon City, Colorado and wonder if you can help us identify what bird leaves this feces ... A: The fact that it's even remotely solid makes me reluctant to think it belongs to a bird. No bird ... | |
| nesting dove | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I have just started to build a shed and today saw a morning dove nesting about 10 feet away. I have ... A: If you're not planning on disturbing her directly, or the actual structure she's nesting on, then I ... | |
| Robins | 4/1/2009 |
| Q: I am in northern Iowa. We have just a few robins in our yard every spring and summer. It is now ... A: At the risk of sounding silly, it's Spring. Spring makes animals act kind of crazy. Robins have been ... | |
| baby ducks | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: I have bought baby ducks. I live in Missouri. The color of some of my babies are yellow and black. ... A: A few things about domestic ducks. They are high variable, due to the degree with which they can be ... | |
| Martins/Barn Swallows | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: Last year the old barn blew down leaveing our barn swallows homeless. I just put up two SK martin ... A: Martins seem to respond best to large, multi-compartmented houses, or groups of gourds. Ideal ... | |
| What kind of bird is this ? | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: We have seen these for more than a week now. They act like Phoebes. Males hanging out with females ... A: It's a male, Western Bluebird. They're fairly tame. They like mealworms and berries. They're ... | |
| unusual nest | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: We have a new nest in our mower storage shed, on top of our week eater. It's about nine inches and ... A: I don't know how I missed this follow-up. SO sorry. Given the image there, although I still cannot ... | |
| unusual nest | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: We have a new nest in our mower storage shed, on top of our week eater. It's about nine inches and ... A: I have a number of suspicions. But a few things might help me to more accurately answer this ... | |
| Bird ID | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I live in southern Herkimer County near the headwaters of Ocquionis Creek between Richfield ... A: I'm thinking you mean "Mexican Duck" as oppose to Mexican Mallard. There are two different species, ... | |
| Droppings | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I am in N. Illinois outside Chicago. found these on my bird feeder this morning. Like raisins but ... A: Sorry for the wait. I was sick. That's looks too big to be from a bat, although the consistency is ... | |
| black vultures | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: Are black vultures capable of flying while carrying a small animal of, say, 3 lbs in either their ... A: Viltures have been known to scout for weak or injured animals, ones that might be near death, and ... | |
| black vultures | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: Are black vultures capable of flying while carrying a small animal of, say, 3 lbs in either their ... A: It's always easier for me to answer a question when I have some idea of why it's being asked. A ... | |
| ground nesting birds | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I live in Castle Hayne, NC and enjoy photographing wildlife. A bird, I suppose has made a nest in ... A: Well it's on the ground. My immediate thought is it's some kind of small water fowl, sandpiper or ... | |
| cardinal | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a male cardinal that has been pecking at my window now for about three weeks. Now more than ... A: It's spring. Cardinals are known for being territorial during the nesting season. Because they are ... | |
| Top hat Chicks | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: I have 1 week old top hat chicks, polish, sultan??? which one of these birds would sing... its not ... A: I am not schooled in the behavior of fancy chickens or related poultry. But if I had to hazard a ... | |
| Bird ID | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: This was all that was left of a bird that a fox had for breakfast in my back yard. The leg bone is ... A: It might help to know your location, for a more definite ID. Color and length suggest dove or ... | |
| Black Hawk sighting? | 3/3/2009 |
| Q: I live in Northampton County, PA, not far from Allentown. Today I saw a hawk-sized black bird fly ... A: Given your location, description and the time of day, I'd say Turkey Vulture. That's the only "all ... | |
| Sparrows | 3/3/2009 |
| Q: Do any sparrows build mud nests? Which ones? Thanks. A: Sparrows generally build cup or cavity nests from materials such as grass, twigs, paper, string, ... | |
| identifying bird's nest | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: What types of birds on the southeast coast make mud and stick nest 4 1/2 wide and about 2 1/2 deep ... A: Thrushes build mud-lined cup nests. But nests made primarily of mud usually belong to Swallows or ... | |
| mating parakeets | 2/27/2009 |
| Q: I have a pair of keets that just started mating, she is aprox 3 yrs & he 5yrs. Iv'e noticed that one ... A: Egg breaking is usually about stress. If the mother feels the environment is unsafe, she might ... | |
| identifying bird's nest | 2/26/2009 |
| Q: What types of birds on the southeast coast make mud and stick nest 4 1/2 wide and about 2 1/2 deep ... A: Sorry for the delay. Is the nest on the ground or in a bush or tree? Is it gourd shaped and has a ... | |
| Strange bird group's behavior | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: This is absolutely unbelievable and I just had to ask an expert about this! A LARGE group of birds ... A: Given the time of year, I'm going to guess that this is related to mating. In simple terms, they're ... | |
| Dinosaur-like bird | 2/15/2009 |
| Q: have recently encountered this bird in captivity at an Ostrich Farm in Malaysia (see attachment). I ... A: I believe that is a Southern Cassowary http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cassowary It's not ... | |
| love birds | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: have male & female lovebird in cage, female laid 5 eggs. If birds eggs hatch what do we do . do the ... A: Congratulations. Love Birds are rather intelligent, unlike doves and domestic fowl. The fact that ... | |
| surf scoter | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: What color is the inside of a surf scoter's mouth? Upper and lower bills? Thank you. A: That may be the most bizarre question I've ever gotten. I have never seen the inside of a Surf ... | |
| red-tailed hawk sleeping under eaves | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: you know...under the eaves. It seems to spend the entire night there. Is this unusual? Doesn't a ... A: Ah no. The concept of the "nest" as you are familiar with it is basically isolated to the breeding ... | |
| possible bird droppings | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I live in Ontario, Canada right at the US border to Buffalo, NY. It has been freezing cold here this ... A: Hmm...that's still rather ambiguous. Based on the color and size and placement, I'm still going to ... | |
| possible bird droppings | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I live in Ontario, Canada right at the US border to Buffalo, NY. It has been freezing cold here this ... A: Liquidy with lumps is usually a bird or a bat. But if it's showing up in the morning, it's something ... | |
| possible bird droppings | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I live in Ontario, Canada right at the US border to Buffalo, NY. It has been freezing cold here this ... A: For the most part, a bird's fecal matter is liquidy, and leaves behind a spatter when it lands. If ... | |
| Bird ID | 1/20/2009 |
| Q: I would like to ID a bird that is found in Santa Barbara, CA. Unfortunately, I do not have a ... A: Well that narrows it down to about 200 species. Seriously, though. You say spring, which means it's ... | |
| Bird ID | 1/20/2009 |
| Q: I would like to ID a bird that is found in Santa Barbara, CA. Unfortunately, I do not have a ... A: I'm afraid I'm going to need a little more to go on than that. You're near the coast, so that kind ... | |
| Blue Jay | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: I am in Nova Scotia. My cat brought home a blue jay. It seems fine in all ways other than it cannot ... A: It might have suffered internal injuries that you can't see. Panting can mean it's in shock or it's ... | |
| Blue Jay | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: I am in Nova Scotia. My cat brought home a blue jay. It seems fine in all ways other than it cannot ... A: I don't have a list of wildlife rehabbers outside of the United States. But it sounds like the bird ... | |
| baby bird found | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: As we have moved into a new house yesterday trees were cut down & a baby bird was found on the ... A: My first advice is always to take it to someone more qualified. But he might not have time for that. ... | |
| Woodpecker: Downy or Nuttall's | 12/31/2008 |
| Q: The attached photo was taken a few days ago. The bird was in our front yard which is located in ... A: That is a Nothern Flicker, and usually they aren't on the ground like that. The determining field ... | |
| Woodpecker: Downy or Nuttall's | 12/31/2008 |
| Q: The attached photo was taken a few days ago. The bird was in our back yard which is located in ... A: I am inclined to say, because of the shape of the mask, which is unbroken and curves around the ear, ... | |
| Mallard Duck nesting | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: I am camping in Southern Georgia for the winter. Our camp site is by the lake, this is December and ... A: Sorry for the delay in answering this. I was too ill to use my computer and haven't been online ... | |
| Thanks | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: Dec 2008, New Jersey Pine Barrens, south Jersey, a raptor- looking bird, white breast, white belly ... A: I personally do not have too much knowledge about falconry. Are you the person who asked about it ... | |
| Bird/Raptor ID please | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: Dec 2008, New Jersey Pine Barrens, south Jersey, a raptor- looking bird, white breast, white belly ... A: Well based on your description, nothing specific comes to mind. I'm thinking that -as tends to be ... | |
| Mourmimg doves | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: I had recently asked you about a mourning dove that lives in the eaves of my front deck. I live in ... A: Mourning doves are year round residents of Massachusetts, so they are accustomed to the temperature. ... | |
| When Can I release him? | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: I decided that I will release my beloved sparrow to where he belongs. I have concerns about the ... A: House Sparrows are year round residents where you live, meaning they are suited to living in such ... | |
| House Sparrow | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: I am from Ontario Canada and I found a baby house sparrow in late August of 2008. It was ... A: Your bird is molting, which is a perfectly natural process. Sparrows generally live one or two ... | |
| Mourning Doves | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: I Live next to the Main Street in an almost rural but still busy area of Massachusetts. I have a 2 ... A: Yes, it is sleeping. Although I would think it would be more sheltered, considering the temperature ... | |
| parasites | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: I'm a hunter and today i shot a partridge(ruffled Grouse)and while cleaning it i noticed what ... A: It was my understanding that the typical host for a heartworm was a dog, and then possibly cats, ... | |
| wren house painting | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: I recently built a wren house to give to my grandma. I was wondering if I should paint the wren ... A: Wrens are the least picky birds of all. They will literally nest anywhere. I once saw one nest in an ... | |
| Bird names | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: Have you any idea what the genus name Ardenna for some of the shearwaters actually means. I know ... A: I am also a fan of etymology and become frustrated when the use of a particular term isn't clear. ... | |
| Molting in wild birds | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: Julia~ Thanks for your quick reply to my other question. Why do you suppose only SOME of the birds ... A: Why only some do it is a mystery to me as well, especially since it is usually necessary for both ... | |
| Crests of cardinals | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: We have lots of cardinals in our backyard here in the piedmont area of NC. Some males and females do ... A: It's possible that the Cardinals are molting, which often makes them appear bald and alters their ... | |
| not sure what to do with my bird | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: I found a little bird when i was up visiting my cottage, the bird cannot fly. It's wings do not ... A: I'm sorry for making you wait. I've been sick. I don't know how Canada operates, as far as local ... | |
| not sure what to do with my bird | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: I found a little bird when i was up visiting my cottage, the bird cannot fly. It's wings do not ... A: It would help if I knew where you lived and what type of bird it was. You can look for wildlife ... | |
| Removing wild bird nests | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: my name is Melody and I live in East Texas. We have woods and lots of birds. We have birds that I ... A: Those are wrens in the gourd. Good Job. Wrens will nest anywhere. The smaller the crevice, the ... | |
| Identification | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: The other day I had a flock of birds around 20 feeding on some tiny crab apples in a tree in the ... A: The closest thing to that description that I can think of is a female/juvenile American Robin. I ... | |
| What is this bird? | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: Yesterday, around 2:00pm, I saw a bird sitting in a tree by the creek that runs behind our house. ... A: Well it sounds like you're describing a Belted Kingfisher. But I think you'd have noticed the huge ... | |
| Barn Owl | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: I recently moved to a rural farm setting and had a large open barn structure erected both for ... A: This is breeding and nesting time for owls. Aside from the feces, it's unlikely to do any ... | |
| injured woodpecker on sidewalk in queens | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: i came across an injured woodpecker(fairly small) w/ red head and white belly. appears to have ... A: Bird's bones are very fragile and easily injured. But they can repair. If he is indeed injured, he ... | |
| falcon eating chicks | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: I live in San Diego, CA and have a falcon or small hawk preying on my backyard chickens. The bird ... A: Sorry to disappoint you on that front. The Cooper's is a year round resident and breeds in ... | |
| falcon eating chicks | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: I live in San Diego, CA and have a falcon or small hawk preying on my backyard chickens. The bird ... A: Sounds like a Cooper's Hawk to me, perhaps a Sharp-Shinned. The two look and act similiarly, but ... | |
| Jurassic Park bird sound identification? | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me ID some birds that are heard in the Jurassic Park movies. ... A: I cannot play video clips at this time. I have zero knowledge of dinosaurs, outside of the same ... | |
| strange bird | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: I live in Woodland Hills Calif.and yesterday,Sunday, it was 5pm and I heard a strange bird sound and ... A: I wish I could help you. - there are no birds with a "cone" shaped beak that are larger than a ... | |
| strange bird | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: I live in Woodland Hills Calif.and yesterday,Sunday, it was 5pm and I heard a strange bird sound and ... A: I'm going to need more information, because your idea of strange and big may not be the same as ... | |
| Birds In Houston Texas | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: I just visited Texas for my first time. Sitting out at my daughters house in Missouri City I seen ... A: Okay, I've given this some thought. I'm going to have to ask for some more information. 1. Are you ... | |
| Great Horned Owl | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: Yesterday I saw a very big great horned owl (I'm quite sure thats the species) swoop across my yard ... A: I'm not going to tell you that you're overreacting only because I can't be sure that you are. Great ... | |
| How do I kill a mockingbird? | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: There is this really annoying bird that starts calling in the middle of the night. Usually starting ... A: I am not intimately familiar with the birds of Africa. But it sounds like something of Mockingbird ... | |
| Purple Martins in SW PA | 10/20/2008 |
| Q: My wife's family currently runs a golf course in South Western PA, up in the Laurel Highlands close ... A: Sorry for the delay. The chances of attracting ANY wildlife are merely touch and go. You can buy ... | |
| Raven v Crow | 10/18/2008 |
| Q: What is the difference between a raven and a crow? If I saw one in my yard, would there be someway ... A: American Crow is about 17 inches. Common Raven is about 24. The Raven can make a number of noises, ... | |
| Nest ID | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: My son and my wife found a birds nest in a rose bush they were cutting back for fall this weekend ... A: It's called a "cup nest" because of the shape. Based on the size of the eggs alone, it could only be ... | |
| Robins at bird bath in fall before migration | 10/11/2008 |
| Q: Why do robins love the bird baths in fall before migration? Blue jays seem to like baths at this ... A: It's my understanding that the desire to bathe isn't associated with any time specifically, unless ... | |
| Wild bird ID | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: Can you ID this bird for me? I saw it on my backyard feeder. It was robin-sized w/ cone-shaped ... A: Birds stray from their patterns all the time. That's why we collect so much data about them, monthly ... | |
| Wild bird ID | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: Can you ID this bird for me? I saw it on my backyard feeder. It was robin-sized w/ cone-shaped ... A: The picture is good enough. I always tell people that even a bag picture is better than nothing. ... | |
| wild finch | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: saved a wild finch that was trapped inside the shopping center. - after releasing outside- it did ... A: They are often stunned for a while, after flying into a window or being confused with flashing ... | |
| great horned owls | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: When do horned owls actually start the mating process. The pair on our place mated yesterday ... A: Great Horned Owls are the most populous owls in North America and very virsatile in regards to ... | |
| ducks eating there eggs | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: I have a 'pet' white duck (one of a breeding pair) who has been sitting on a nest some where in the ... A: I'm so sorry for the wait. I was very ill and couldn't get online. Regarding your duck. First, ... | |
| bird nest boxes versus squirrels | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: I'm about to install nest boxes for Kestrel, Violet Green Swallows, Chickadees, Bats, & Flickers. ... A: http://birdseedery.com/squirrelproof.html These are just a few examples of the products available, ... | |
| birds living in house | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: We have birds living on the 2nd floor of our house (in between the walls and ceiling) When we when ... A: Not know what type of bird or being intimately familiar with the layout of your home, I can't be ... | |
| Hummingbirds | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: Would you be able to tell me WHY I havent had but a couple of hummingbirds at my northern lower ... A: I do not personally have any information about the specifics of fluctuating hummingbird population. ... | |
| Hawk/Eagle-like bird with white head and orange breast | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: Hope you can answer this as it is driving me nuts. I went to the whatbird site you recommended in an ... A: Let's summarize: -crow to hawk sized -was seen eating a worm -head was light, white or possible ... | |
| baby dove | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: my cat caught a baby dove it is okay what do i feed it when can i let it go. A: As soon as it can fly, you can let it go. Doves typically leave the nest around 2 weeks. Does it ... | |
| sandhill crane migration | 9/21/2008 |
| Q: Having watched sandhills migrating south through Central Washington state for many years, I'm ... A: Whenever there is a change in migration, there are usually one of two reasons: a change in ... | |
| hawks | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: Good morning or afternoon. I am an Asutralian, living in Adelaide in the state of South Australia (a ... A: This is an excellent question, but a complex one. So bear with me as I try to explain this as simply ... | |
| Cardinal feeding fledglings | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: We have a birdfeeder on our back deck and I have sunflower seeds in that are already shelled. I have ... A: There are two possibilities: 1. Cardinals have as many as 4 broods in one season, one on top of the ... | |
| wild dove | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: We were cutting down our blk. walnut tree and were hauling away the braches in a trailer, there we ... A: Well it sounds like you've done well so far. Generally the rule of thumb is to NOT give water to ... | |
| Need help finding a rehab for a crow | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: I have a young crow(this springs baby) that I am trying to find a rehab to take it to. My neighbors ... A: This is the most up to date rehab directory I know of. There are a number listed for California. You ... | |
| whoooo is this guy ? | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: I live in northwest Ohio, south of Toledo. We live on one acre surrounded by thousands of acres of ... A: Time of day and description of the call points to Great Horned Owl. It's really the only owl that ... | |
| how to teach a wild baby bird to eat seed | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a baby house finch about a month old. I have been raising it sense it fell out of it's nest. ... A: It should be ready to fledge any day now. Four weeks is average for finches. I would just take it ... | |
| bird decomposition or bird guano | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: I had a small outside opening in an attic eave. A wild animal expert said that he did see some ... A: I'm sorry I have no way of telling you for sure what is in your attic. The smell makes me think that ... | |
| Birding | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: There is a pigeon that has been hanging around my neighbourhood(in Ireland).It has a tag on ... A: Being that you're in Ireland, it's hard to say where the pigeon is from. In North America, we have a ... | |
| Hundreds of birds flocking to trees | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: I live in Greece NY a suburb if Rochester. This has never happened before, but for the past two ... A: It's not migratory. They are year round residents in almost all of the United States. Really they ... | |
| companionship | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: I rescued a female cardinal that cannot be released again. A male cardinal would make a great ... A: I didn't mean to imply that you didn't have the proper permits. It's just that I get a number of ... | |
| Hundreds of birds flocking to trees | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: I live in Greece NY a suburb if Rochester. This has never happened before, but for the past two ... A: It's definitely happened before. Possibly you haven't noticed, or it hasn't happened this close to ... | |
| companionship | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: I rescued a female cardinal that cannot be released again. A male cardinal would make a great ... A: I'm just going to assume you've gotten some sort of permission to keep this bird or are a licensed ... | |
| ROBINS | 8/28/2008 |
| Q: Me and my younger brother recently witnessed a baby robin fall out of its nest and we took care of ... A: Robins exhibit rather domestic behavior, and can easily be trained, but they are indeed wild ... | |
| albino red tail hawk | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I believe i have several photos of an albino red tail hawk. How rare are these birds and can you ... A: Albino birds aren't rare, but they aren't common either. I have never seen an albino hawk. But I've ... | |
| yellow bird | 8/24/2008 |
| Q: last fall we had a flock of yellow birds visit us and they are back. Larger than a gold finch, but ... A: My immediate thought is a female Summer or Hepatic Tanager, which can appear completely yellow. But ... | |
| Yellow bird | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: Bloomington Indiana, mid August, farmhouse ten miles north of small city. Yellow bird, approximately ... A: Okay, you said it was 6 inches, but then you said it was large. It can't be both. Large is a crow. ... | |
| yellow bird | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: last fall we had a flock of yellow birds visit us and they are back. Larger than a gold finch, but ... A: A prothonotary warbler is basically the same size as the goldfinch. It has a longer, more ... | |
| Incubating eggs | 8/22/2008 |
| Q: I found an egg underneath my house. The egg is 3cm long. I live in Australia, and its a long oval ... A: Mynas, Crested Pigeons, The Australian Magpie and the Magpies Lark all nest in trees or bushes and ... | |
| Incubating eggs | 8/22/2008 |
| Q: I found an egg underneath my house. The egg is 3cm long. I live in Australia, and its a long oval ... A: If the eggs is hard shelled and not soft or leathery, then it belongs to a bird. Also reptile eggs ... | |
| Mystery bird | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: Sitting on my patio in Michigan late this afternoon, I was lucky enough to see several birds of the ... A: Okay, I spent a lot of time on this. I went through all of my field guides, the checklist for the ... | |
| Mystery bird | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: Sitting on my patio in Michigan late this afternoon, I was lucky enough to see several birds of the ... A: Okay, nothing coming to me immediately, even after going through two of my field guides and checking ... | |
| strange bird | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: The last few days we have been hearing what we thought were kittens "mewing" (like kittens do) ... A: I'm going to have to stick with Gray Catbird. They tend to sing in groups at dusk, mewing like a ... | |
| Mallard hybrid? | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: Julia, I spotted this couple near Shawnee Water Park in the Poconos (PA)at the end of July. I like ... A: Yes, they are Mallard hybrids. Mallards are compatible to mate with all domestic ducks, except those ... | |
| strange bird | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: The last few days we have been hearing what we thought were kittens "mewing" (like kittens do) ... A: My first thought is the Gray Catbird, which makes such sounds and does have a large, squared off ... | |
| barn swallows | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I had a pair of barn swallows construct a nest on my fire alarm. I was so enthralled throughout the ... A: I'm not sure about Swallows specifically. Some birds are totally dumb when it comes to that sort of ... | |
| Bird boxes | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I have a pond 1 acre in size, about 17 feet deep loaded with fish and frogs and turtles. Half the ... A: Kingfishers actually dig deep tunnels to lay their eggs in and both parents incubate them. They only ... | |
| Bird Feeding | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: I have been feeding wild birds for many years and never had such a problem with sparrows. I have one ... A: House Sparrows are highly populous and very annoying. If there is free food, then you will find ... | |
| parenting cardinals | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I've observed that my mating pair can have up to three babies at once, but they seem to be staggared ... A: All the eggs in one brood should hatch on the same day. But Cardinals will actually lay eggs and ... | |
| baby swallow | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: I found a baby swallow whos nest had fallen through. no adults about. so i took her home. she has ... A: Well animal control won't be caring. You need to contact your local wildlife rehabber -Here's a ... | |
| Bird boxes | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: I have a pond 1 acre in size, about 17 feet deep loaded with fish and frogs and turtles. Half the ... A: I'd have to ask what kind of birds you're hoping to attract. Each species has its own ... | |
| mystery bird | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: please see http://media.photobucket.com/image/mysterybird/lwpdjv/53400017.jpg?o=1 sorry for poor ... A: That is an odd one. Beak is too thick to be a Goldfinch. My primary instinct is to say Evening ... | |
| how to make things easy for mother robin and her babies | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: its August and a mother robin has nested at our house. we just saw this morning 3 or 4 babies. is ... A: If neither of the parents are dive bombing you or scolding you in some way, whenever you get close ... | |
| Hawk | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: Is this an immature red-shouldered hawk? I am going by the bands on the tail and the reddish color ... A: Where you live, the Red-Shouldered is listed as "accidental" -meaning very uncommon. This could be a ... | |
| Hawk | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: Is this an immature red-shouldered hawk? I am going by the bands on the tail and the reddish color ... A: Okay -it's really hard for me to say for sure, because the field marks aren't clear enough. The ... | |
| Broken bird leg | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: My bird broke her leg, the vet put a pin in and had it all taped up. He removed the tape and now ... A: Well I'm not a vet. But I do have a generous amount of knowledge about human medicine. Rods and pins ... | |
| Baby mourning dove | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: I found a baby mourning dove outside my front door this afternoon--not sure if it can hop yet (it ... A: My first advice would be to try and locate the nest. Doves nest in low trees, shrubs and planters, ... | |
| Unknown Birds | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: This picture shows a small bird (Sparrow family?) that was feeding a much larger bird that doesn't ... A: You know -I misunderstood your question. I thought that you were saying that the larger bird was the ... | |
| Peafowl and guinea fowl | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: We've been considering getting some guinea fowl for insect control in our yard. But I'm wondering ... A: With any kind of game birds (Quail, Grouse, Ducks, Geese, Chickens etc) you're going to have some ... | |
| Unknown Birds | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: This picture shows a small bird (Sparrow family?) that was feeding a much larger bird that doesn't ... A: They are House Sparrows. Looks like Adult female feeding what could be a juvenile male. Can't be ... | |
| bird identity, rochester, ny | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: we've seen a blue-jay size/shape bird that is primarily grey with a tuft on its head, with a black ... A: I'm thinking that you're correct. A juvenile of the same species in the closest thing to your ... | |
| Found a Sparrow fledgling. | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: I came home on Friday to find my dog had caught a small Sparrow fledgling. Luckily the bird survived ... A: This website offers a list of people who have registered to rehab wildlife. Los Angeles is a big ... | |
| bird identity, rochester, ny | 8/2/2008 |
| Q: we've seen a blue-jay size/shape bird that is primarily grey with a tuft on its head, with a black ... A: In the state of NY, there are a handful of birds that have crests on their heads: The Tufted ... | |
| a newborn bird i found | 8/2/2008 |
| Q: i found a newborn bird in my yard i don't know how to take care of it. can you help. kenneth kader A: My first advice to this question will always be: Find the nest and put it back. It has about a 90% ... | |
| Bird identification | 8/2/2008 |
| Q: I live near Seattle my son woke me up this morning to point out a large a large black bird (about ... A: Given your location and description, I'm going to say Pileated Woodpecker. They are usuall 16-20 ... | |
| mallard nesting | 7/31/2008 |
| Q: I have a similar situation to the lady with the mallard by the pool. I would like to know what ... A: Dang, that's a big pool. I know it sounds crazy, but keep in mind that these are basically wild ... | |
| barn swallow | 7/31/2008 |
| Q: almost 3 wks ago a baby swallow jumped to the hay.and we watched him for two days not being fed. So ... A: Swallows generally live in large communities and should be accepting of your baby into their group. ... | |
| barn swallow | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: almost 3 wks ago a baby swallow jumped to the hay.and we watched him for two days not being fed. So ... A: I'm impressed that your baby survived, actually. Raising wild swallow fledglings often results in ... | |
| baby wrins | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: There is a nest of baby wrins on my back porch. I have been very careful about not disturbing them. ... A: With wrens, usually both parents participate in the nesting -even in the building and then in the ... | |
| Continuous feeding? | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: We have 4 baby ducks in our yard/pool. They are about 3 weeks old. We are wondering...at what age ... A: Ducks do love reflective surfaces. Just make sure he doesn't peck it, because it will break. About ... | |
| golden pheasant | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: I don't know if you can help but our french neighbor has acquired some golden pheasants and has ... A: To my knowledge, if you live in North America, Pheasant hunting laws are broken down by state and ... | |
| Albino Mourning Dove | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: We have had an what we believe to be an Albino Mourning Dove at Rideau Acres Campground in Kingston ... A: It's a genetic mutation in which there is no pigment in the skin. For birds, this lack of pigment ... | |
| House wrens | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: I have house wrens that are now eating my thistle seed that I bought for my yellow finch. I now do ... A: Huh -usually the Wrens go for the suet. Yes, the nyjer seed is expensive and we don't want it going ... | |
| water fowl | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me the name of this species? There were a pair of these young by Stowe Lake last week ... A: The only two waterfowl in your area that are "Northern" are the Northern Pintail and the Northern ... | |
| water fowl | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me the name of this species? There were a pair of these young by Stowe Lake last week ... A: I could be mistaken, but that looks to me like a domestic duck. In other words, someone's pet that ... | |
| Bird freaking out | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a bird that for a few months is flying on my front porch and just goes crazy chirping and ... A: Probably it means that they are nesting near the entrance to your home (poor choice on their part) ... | |
| Bird cry identification | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: I'm in central Pennsylvania and this morning I've been hearing out of my office window a bird cry ... A: Here is a list of the birds of prey that live in your area. I can't really tell you what you heard ... | |
| Cardinal crashing into house windows | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: For over a year, a red cardinal has been crashing into every window of my house from daybreak until ... A: Cardinals love windows. I don't know if it's the red color or what. More so during breeding season, ... | |
| Mockingbird | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: My husband came home from work and told me that we have baby birds in our hibiscus tree. Upon closer ... A: Mockingbirds should be able to keep crows away with no help. I've seen them take on hawks, ravens ... | |
| Baby ducks...when will they fly? | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: We have 4 baby ducks in our yard/pool. They are about 3 weeks old. We are wondering...at what age ... A: Okay, well that's bizarre and no, you didn't overreact. There are a number of animal species that ... | |
| dove nesting | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: My dad had a robin nest last year. This year a dove took it over. She has laid eggs three times ... A: Doves and Robins have actually been known to share nests -which is weird all by itself. Doves ... | |
| Egg | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: I took it inside a rinsed it of with warm water and while i was standing there telling my mom about ... A: A heating pad is really not ideal, unless you can guarantee that it's not generating too much heat. ... | |
| 4 day old baby sparrows | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: We found a birds nest a few weeks ago under a couple of cushions propped on one of our lawn chairs. ... A: I know this probably isn't the answer you're hoping for. But the best thing you can do is nothing. ... | |
| newborn bird | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: i found a newborn bird in the backyard and it was trying to get out of his little house and i ... A: It probably isn't going to survive, since on average, baby birds need to eat every 70-90 minutes. I ... | |
| Robin Eggs | 7/20/2008 |
| Q: I have a robin Egg and I was just wondering that when they get like whiteish clear spots on them ... A: I seriously doubt that the egg is viable. In fact, I'd bet good money that it isn't. I'm not sure ... | |
| SEAGULL AND NOISE | 7/20/2008 |
| Q: A female seagull is sitting quietly up a tree, in her nest,with eggs or little birds. Suddenly the ... A: Is this some kind of trick question? It reads more like a riddle. What did the seagull do? I don't ... | |
| Baby ducks...when will they fly? | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: We have 4 baby ducks in our yard/pool. They are about 3 weeks old. We are wondering...at what age ... A: Poultry feed is ideal for them -definitely better than bread. It might be found at a pet store or a ... | |
| Robin Eggs | 7/18/2008 |
| Q: I have a robin Egg and I was just wondering that when they get like whiteish clear spots on them ... A: My first thought is why you are in possession of a Robin's egg in the first place. My second is why ... | |
| Baby Robin Eggs | 7/18/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me if a Robin will abandon her baby eggs after laying them, I have a robin that had 2 ... A: I know of no reason that a Robin would voluntarily abandon her eggs. She may have fallen ill or been ... | |
| question on odd bird behavior | 7/17/2008 |
| Q: Julia, last week in Tulsa, OK, my wife and I saw a bluejay alight on a cleared flower bed covered ... A: Okay, well off the top of my head, nothing is coming to me. My first instinct is that the behavior ... | |
| Black bird with red head | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: I live in upstate New York, about an hour outside of the Adirondack Mountains. I was recently ... A: It sounds like a Spruce Grouse, although slightly far south. They are usually found more in Canada ... | |
| What bird is this? | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: Nesting low in Patio Elm located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. Color - Rust with rust spots on ... A: I've gone through all my books and I'm just not coming up with anything that meets all of your ... | |
| Newborns that possibly fell out of nest... | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: This past weekend I noticed a small bird nest secured in a fairly high bush right near our deck, ... A: No, the mother didn't push them out. Hugely unlikely. The police and animal control are the wrong ... | |
| Newborns that possibly fell out of nest... | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: This past weekend I noticed a small bird nest secured in a fairly high bush right near our deck, ... A: Putting the baby back in the nest and was its BEST shot at survival, believe it or not. If possible, ... | |
| What bird is this? | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: Nesting low in Patio Elm located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. Color - Rust with rust spots on ... A: It's sparrow/finch sized. Behavior sounds like a House Finch -description sounds like a sparrow (any ... | |
| birds sitting on driveway | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: I found a baby bird dead in the middle of my lawn yesterday morning. Since then, 2 birds have sat ... A: Hmm...I'm guessing they're either Robins or Mourning Doves. There's nothing you really can do. They ... | |
| Robin's nest in my mother's garage | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: My 90-year old mother has noticed that a robin has built a nest on top of her automatic garage door ... A: Interesting that you would care if it's legal. Most people disregard the rights of animals in favor ... | |
| Wild Birds | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: Are birds such as hummingbirds considered "pregnant" just prior to laying eggs? Or is there another ... A: That's a good one -do birds get pregnant. Technically, yes. But the term we use is "gravid" -which ... | |
| robyn steals eggs | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: my ? is...we have had the same Robyn nest outside my door in a wreath.she has had 2 clutches so far, ... A: Birds generally seem to have a sense of when they're eggs are good. Although some are not as bright ... | |
| woodpecker feeding | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: Is there a non expensive way to feed woodpeckers such as making a homemade suet feeder and feed,also ... A: There are lots of ways you can make homemade feeders for woodpeckers. But you will still end up ... | |
| robyn steals eggs | 7/12/2008 |
| Q: my ? is...we have had the same Robyn nest outside my door in a wreath.she has had 2 clutches so far, ... A: Have you seen any other birds? It's possible that another bird is taking over (stealing) her nest. ... | |
| mourning dove eggs | 7/11/2008 |
| Q: I had a surprise dove fly out of a hanging plant when I went to water it. I noticed one was back the ... A: They're actually more likely to return if the plant was in its original place. Now that you've moved ... | |
| backyard bird ID | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: I live in southern california. I have several basic birding books. But cannot locate this bird. I'm ... A: The white wing bars are underneath and usually only visible while they are in flight or -like you ... | |
| backyard bird ID | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: I live in southern california. I have several basic birding books. But cannot locate this bird. I'm ... A: Okay, with the light brown, tail sticks up and eats off of the ground part, my first thought is the ... | |
| Woodpecker Identification in Michigan | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: I have what I believe is a woodpecker but it is gray in color. It has been at the suet with two ... A: It's difficult to say from the picture, but it could be a juvenile Northern Flicker -except it's ... | |
| When do robin's lay their eggs | 7/7/2008 |
| Q: What is the typical range for robins to be on their nests? I have a robin's nest on a fence post, ... A: If the weather is good, Robins will lay their eggs from April to August and have 2-3 clutches, one ... | |
| pond ducks, ducklings and canadian geese | 7/6/2008 |
| Q: in my large backyard pond, the same geese keep coming back. we now have 4 white ducks and 9 baby ... A: Just so that I understand, you keep ducks as pets, but the geese are wild? There are some products ... | |
| Peacock nesting | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: I have owned my peacocks for about 4 months. They are in a big enclosure and they did mate. She ... A: They should have hatched by now. Since the mom won't eat while she's incubating -I usually wouldn't ... | |
| birds vs. marigolds | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: Last week, I noticed what I believe to be aa Grackle wrestling with marigold bolssoms for several ... A: It's called anting -a process in which birds allow ants to crawl on their body and secrete formic ... | |
| Aggressive robin mother | 7/4/2008 |
| Q: A mother robin has settled in a bush in my back yard... Now that the chicks are born she attacks me ... A: Two weeks to incubate and two weeks to fledge. Yes they will attack anyone and anything that they ... | |
| female cardinal continually bouncing into same window pane | 7/4/2008 |
| Q: we have a female cardinal that continues to crash into the same little window pane of a multi-pane ... A: I think I've answered this one before -Cardinals more than any other. They're very territorial and ... | |
| Cardinals | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: I have had a female Cardinal build a nest under my backyard umbrella. She has been sitting there off ... A: It's likely that she's panting from the heat. It could be that she hasn't laid the eggs yet or that ... | |
| Found a nest of baby birds | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: I was cutting down a bayberry bush in my back yard tonight. After removing the branches that I had ... A: I'd put them back as close to the original site as possible. I see no reason why the parents would ... | |
| White egg | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: I was rollarblading with my family by Lake Ontario and i pasted by 2 white eggs on the grass i took ... A: You just found them sitting on the grass? They weren't broken or cracked? Did they appear to have ... | |
| Visitor or caged escapee? | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: I saw the following on my bird feeder on Sunday: Size of a finch Mostly dark brown Bright red head ... A: What you're describing actually sounds most like a Purple Finch, whose male bears a mask that is ... | |
| bird identification | 6/28/2008 |
| Q: There is a bird near my workplace that I have never seen before. It is dark brown with a large white ... A: Okay, I'm at a loss here. I've gone over all of those things and they don't match up to any one ... | |
| bird identification | 6/27/2008 |
| Q: There is a bird near my workplace that I have never seen before. It is dark brown with a large white ... A: Okay this isn't setting off any immediate bells. I can think of things that meet one of your ... | |
| Baby wrens | 6/26/2008 |
| Q: I live in Ontario, Canada. I had a nest of baby wrens in my decorative bird house, I saw two babies ... A: Hmm...Wrens are cavity nesters and famous for nesting in the oddest places. They are generally very ... | |
| Cardinal Eggs | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: My son took 3 eggs out of a Cardinals nest today and I made him put them back right away (even ... A: The belief that a mother will abandon her eggs if they've been touched by humans is actually a myth. ... | |
| Mockingbird nest | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: I found a mockingbird nest with 4 eggs in one of our bushes. Five days ago, one of the eggs hatched. ... A: First of all, I'm surprised that a Mockingbird allowed you to get that close to her nest without ... | |
| duck nest in backyard | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: I had a duck (I belive mallard) nesting in my back yard under one of my day lilies. I noticed it ... A: Nesting female mallards will sometimes briefly leave the nest and cover their eggs with down for ... | |
| Ducks - Quacking | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: This may sound like an odd question, but my wife works as a Teacher's Aide for grades 1-2. The ... A: I'm assuming your wife must be referring to Mallards specifically, since this doesn't really apply ... | |
| baby bird mother is getting scared away by other birds | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: We have a nest of baby birds. Their mom has been feeding them for the last week or so. There are ... A: Okay, without knowing what kind of bird either of them are -it's hard for me to say what's going on. ... | |
| phoebe nest, I think? | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: We have a phoebe, I think, who had built a nest on our fron porch column. We have had a nest there ... A: Well first of all, a Phoebe is a Flycatcher. You shouldn't feel insulted that it's not visiting your ... | |
| robins | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: We've been watching a robin from the time she built her nest through the incubation period. It ... A: It depends on how many days old the birds were. They usually fledge around two weeks. Robins ... | |
| maine bird | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: (it wouldn't let me ask anymore follow-up questions so i had to start a new one) Oh, it's ... A: The Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Milford is the closest checklist I could find to ... | |
| maine bird | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: I live in Maine and I have a question. I don't know if you'll be able to answer it. But there's ... A: Okay -can you give me your zipcode or tell me what county you live in so I can check the species ... | |
| Bald Eagle | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: Would a Bald Eagle Kill a Black Mamba? I know it is a silly Question that i ... A: Okay, this is sort of along the same lines of pitting Marvel Comics and DC Comics superheroes ... | |
| Baby Crow | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: we have recently found a baby crow, it cannot fly yet, but it can leap/jump. There is slight black ... A: Baby crows do not actually need water in the same way that we do. They get their moisture from their ... | |
| Mallard Nest | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: About a week ago we noticed a cleverly camoflauged duck nest in our yard. We cannot be certain how ... A: If you see no feathers or other signs of a struggle, the ducklings probably hatched. Immediately ... | |
| Baby swallow - doing good after 10 days! | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: We have had it for 10 days - it is very healthy. Now what? I have been bringing it outside to the ... A: Whoa -I'm impressed. I haven't heard of too many people successfully fledging swallows. ... | |
| mallard nest | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: A mallard couple has chosen our pool as their nesting sight. The female is laying her eggs in the ... A: Oh I forgot about the mess. If they decide to make a pond out of your pool, you will have the ducky ... | |
| mallard nest | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: A mallard couple has chosen our pool as their nesting sight. The female is laying her eggs in the ... A: That's a no on the food. They will never leave your yard ever, if that happens. More may even join ... | |
| mallard nest | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: A mallard couple has chosen our pool as their nesting sight. The female is laying her eggs in the ... A: I hate to disagree with an "expert" but I don't think your intervention is necessary. It would ... | |
| mockingbirds | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: I have a mockingbird & nest in one of my large,tall trees. The bird is so noisy all night that no ... A: This is a birding question for the ages. We've been discussing this forever and we still have no ... | |
| preventing nesting in wreath | 6/15/2008 |
| Q: Is there some material that could be placed inside the 'cavity' of a wreath, so as to keep the local ... A: I have no idea what to tell you. Finches -I'm assuming by the time of year that this is a House ... | |
| Strange "Goosse"? | 6/15/2008 |
| Q: We live in Oshkosh, WI and we have had nearly ten inches of rain in a week with rather sever ... A: It's really hard to say because of the detail, but it looks like you are correct. It is either a ... | |
| baby birds | 6/14/2008 |
| Q: what do baby birds eat A: It really depends on the species of bird. The diet of a baby pelican is going to be drastically ... | |
| Morning doves & eggs | 6/14/2008 |
| Q: I had morning doves lay and hatch on my porch light a April and then a another nest was built again ... A: Lots of other animals eat eggs: Reptiles, snakes, cats, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, possums, rats, ... | |
| Morning doves & eggs | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: I had morning doves lay and hatch on my porch light a April and then a another nest was built again ... A: The dove cannot move her eggs. If they are gone, then they either hatched and fledged or something ... | |
| baby starling | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: I've been taking care of a baby starling for about a week. I'm pretty sure the mother abandoned it, ... A: I'm not sure I understand. You think he has some kind of bowel obstruction? I'd wait it out and see ... | |
| Death of Duck | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: I have more than one question. I live next to a duck pond and have become attached to a big white ... A: I'm not sure how much I can tell you for sure. Lots of ducks do form attachments to one another and ... | |
| Eastern Phoebe Babies Dying | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: Eastern Phoebes have been making their home under the eaves in our carport for years. This year they ... A: Is the carport enclosed? The chicks may be more sensitive to the carbon monoxide that is released ... | |
| Mystery bird....tanager? | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: I live in Houston, TX and have always lived here. We recently hung a bird feeder w/ sunflower seed ... A: Well, it's definitely not a Tanager. Tanagers have slightly curved and slightly longer beaks that ... | |
| finches | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: i have a pair of wild finches in my back garden there eggs have just hatched, my husband wants to ... A: "is it wise to encourage more wild birds into the garden?" I'm biased, so of course I'll say yes. ... | |
| Egg | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: I need some help because was walking in my backyard when i heard loud chirping I looked and my ... A: The best place for the egg is back in the nest. If you absolutely can't put it back there, then you ... | |
| American Robin's Nest and Eggs | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: A friend found a robin's nest on top of outdoor lighting. The mother robin has been sitting on the ... A: If the EGGS are in contact with the light source and it exceeds 102 degrees when lit, then it can ... | |
| CHICKADEE | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: I just had a wonderful morning watching 5 little hatchling leave the nest will Mum and Dad make ... A: Chickadees tend to have one brood per season -plus it is already June, so I'm thinking not. To ... | |
| robins eggs | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: a robin laid four eggs in a hanging plant on our front porch. Wierdly, she laid the eggs without a ... A: Robins usually begin nesting in April. Incubation is about 2 weeks. It's another 2 weeks for them to ... | |
| black crow | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: is they any thing i can do to stop the crow from eating my chicken eggs. please help ANSWER: Where ... A: Okay, I'm still baffled as to how the crow is getting into a hen house. If it's got wire mesh around ... | |
| Stellar's Jay Crests | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: I am a 4th grade student in Washington State researching the crest of a Stellar's Jay. I have found ... A: I know of no deeper purpose for it having a crest. It's just a physical characteristic that some ... | |
| mother duckk & ducklings | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: I was taken back by a story a friend told me today about a mother duck hovering over her dead baby ... A: I have personally never heard of that -although that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. Ducks ... | |
| Barred Owl or Great horned | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: I have been hearing an owl in my backyard for sometime now and want to know if its a Barred Owl or a ... A: The Great-Horned Owl will always be a series of "whoos" -usually 5-6 and then the last few are sped ... | |
| Barn Swallows | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: I have a second nest on my porch with no surface other than under the nest, with five eggs. Last ... A: I know this sounds harsh, but the birds know what they are doing. If they build a nest and it fails, ... | |
| bird identification | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: i live on whidbey island, in the puget sound above seattle wa. on an island, i live in forest ... A: Based on the size and shape it's either from Icteridae -some kind of Oriole or Blackbird. Given your ... | |
| help with a injured wild baby bird | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: tonight i found a young bird (with feathers,but a very short tail)on our patio table. his leg is ... A: I'm not familiar with the facilities in your area. I suggest you call your most local wildlife ... | |
| Robins | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a robins nest on my front porch light that 3 weeks ago I noticed that there were 4 eggs in ... A: It's possible that the first batch were duds. I don't see why you need to remove them or relocate ... | |
| Strange call | 5/26/2008 |
| Q: Hope you can help me identify a bird from it's call. I live in Essex county New York and my best ... A: That's a tough one, because you didn't get a visual. It could be any number of species. The fact ... | |
| bird nesting in grill | 5/25/2008 |
| Q: there is a bird trying to make a nest in side my gas grill i don't know what to do I've cleaned it ... A: My only practical suggestion is to either get one of those tarp covers for it or to put it inside ... | |
| `peacock moulting.. | 5/24/2008 |
| Q: My peacock Percy has shed his feathers and is struggling to grow replacement feathers...How long ... A: That's odd because they usually begin their molt in the summer, after the breeding season and when ... | |
| nesting in sill prevention | 5/24/2008 |
| Q: I am hoping you can help me. I live in a residential area of Boston , MA and have a problem with ... A: It might sound too simple to be effective, but try purchasing a few of those owl decoys and setting ... | |
| When is it Safe to Remove Cardinal Nest? | 5/24/2008 |
| Q: i need to remove a bush by my house but I'm waiting because there is a cardinal nest with 2 eggs in ... A: Do you have any way of knowing whether or not this clutch is the first one? Cardinals will often ... | |
| 3 day old baby birds | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: i have 4 3 day old baby birds and i was wondering if you new of anything that is OK to feed them, ... A: That depends a lot on what species of bird they are -and there are hundreds. Assuming it is a ... | |
| Robins Nest | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: We have a truck that we haven't driven in a few weeks. We sold it and when checking to see what we ... A: Hopefully she will find them. You've done all that you can. If she fails to incubate these eggs, she ... | |
| wild finch | 5/17/2008 |
| Q: We went to dinner tonight 5 2 day old finch were in the nest. The mother always fly off while we ... A: If you're positive that they only hatched two days ago, there is no way for the mother to move them. ... | |
| Wren invader | 5/15/2008 |
| Q: We discovered a wren in our apartment. The bird was in the back room that opens up to our back ... A: Sorry for the delay. Wrens are notorious for nesting in strange places. There is more than likely a ... | |
| Robins | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: Last Tuesday(May 6) my boyfriend was working on a piece of heavy machinery and found a nest with 4 ... A: Wow, that's determination. Most people don't get that far and can't even get the eggs to hatch. Your ... | |
| baby robins | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: I found 2 baby robins no more than 5 days old in the middle of a busy parking lot. The parents were ... A: I know you mean well, and I'm sure that your intentions are pure. But American Robins have thrived ... | |
| birdies | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: but anyway where can u get an incubator and can u send me a link on how to take care of turkey and ... A: Turkeys AND nuthatches? You can get an incubator at any feed supply type place, possibly even a ... | |
| Woodpecker? Identification in Ontario | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: Sorry to bug but I saw a beautiful bird today that I can't identify. I have not seen anything that ... A: Okay, my first question for you is as to whether or not you are sure -or how it is that you came to ... | |
| Cardinal Nest Update and Question | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: We take a quick peak in the nest when the mother is not there, about a week ago one of the ... A: If there are baby cardinals inside those eggs, they will hatch eventually. If the eggs are duds, ... | |
| dove egg | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: a dove recently laid an egg on my daughters windowcill and well she scared the mother away.i took ... A: The mother would have come back. Doves are easily startled. You should have left the egg, especially ... | |
| Birds nests. | 5/9/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering what kind of birds nest in what area's (Example: The wren usually nests in sheds or ... A: I have an excellent book called "The Easy Guide to Attracting Nesting Birds: The Complete Birdhouse ... | |
| injured wild turkey | 5/9/2008 |
| Q: We have many wild turkeys around and recently have seen a tom who has a broken leg. He may have ... A: I actually don't know about turkeys per se. I've seen wild ducks with a missing foot or a missing ... | |
| how do u care for.................... | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: I found a nest that was made by a nut hatch in our tractor and my dad has to use it so they will ... A: Eggs must be kept at 101 degrees farenheit, which can be done with a conventional incubator. Most ... | |
| wild birds | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem with herons eating my Koi fish in our pond. I have artificial herons "standing ... A: There's a netting you can purchase that goes over the pond and should protect the koi from being ... | |
| I found baby bird! | 5/7/2008 |
| Q: It's still pink, and it's eyes are not even open! Plus, i think it dropped from VERY high, it has a ... A: Try to find a vet that treats birds in your area, or a wildlife rehabilitor in your area. It could ... | |
| bird nest in our house | 5/6/2008 |
| Q: we have this year a bird nest in our ventilation hole (I think it's link to the aircon, too). Two ... A: You're doing all you can do. Since you already moved the nest, the proverbial damage is done. The ... | |
| Mallard Duck Nest | 5/6/2008 |
| Q: I found a nest with 9 giant eggs - in the ivy below my office window. I was checking every day to ... A: That probably means that all nine babies hatched and are alive. As soon as they hatch, the mother ... | |
| bird idenification | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: i live in Indiana and i saw a bird with what appeared to be a checkered tail and a red spot on its ... A: Crow-sized is much bigger than a Grosbeak. The Grosbeak's bill is short an conical -shaped like a ... | |
| bird nesting in my home | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: I heard birds chirping that sounded like it was coming from my loft. But when I went up there I ... A: It's likely a Wren or a Nuthatch, a smaller bird that is a "cavity nester." There's little harm in ... | |
| mallard baby feed | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: I have been told to feed my ducklings duck starter feed. However, it's not available around my home ... A: Chicken feed is not okay. Because most chicken feed contains more protein than regular gamebird feed ... | |
| house finch eggs | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: We have a finch nest in our bedroom window with 5 eggs in it. I have been peeking every day at ... A: As difficult as it sounds, we have to trust that these birds know what they are doing. Often we ... | |
| Roosters and Hens | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: What is different if in a hen house there are more roosters (cockerels) than hens, or if there are ... A: I don't know a lot about game birds, per se. I do know that a pecking order is established in any ... | |
| Cardinal Nest | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: A female Cardinal has built a nest in a hedgerow which butts up against our backyard screened in ... A: As difficult as it sounds, sometimes we just have to trust that these animals know what they are ... | |
| bird idenification | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: i live in Indiana and i saw a bird with what appeared to be a checkered tail and a red spot on its ... A: The first bird that comes to mind is the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, which is found all throughout ... | |
| Mesa Lovebirds | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: I just moved to an older part of Mesa AZ, after living out here for awhile. I noticed some small ... A: Actually millet would probably be more attractive, or one of those bell shaped things you can hang ... | |
| robin nest | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: I have a robin starting to build a next in my dining room window sill. How do I deter? I have ... A: Why are you trying to deter her -or why do you think the sill is not a good place? Robins are ... | |
| robin nest | 5/2/2008 |
| Q: Our family has watched a robin make her perfect nest on one of our windowsills, lay her 4 eggs and ... A: Oh what a shame. I was hoping we could pass it off as an error AND the kids are paying attention as ... | |
| robin nest | 5/2/2008 |
| Q: Our family has watched a robin make her perfect nest on one of our windowsills, lay her 4 eggs and ... A: Only 4 days -if you're 100 percent sure about the amount of time that the mother spent incubating, ... | |
| cardinal nesting | 5/1/2008 |
| Q: My Mom and Dad had a female cardinal build a nest just outside their back room of their house in a ... A: The incubation period is only 12-13 days and the young can fledge after ten. Sounds short, I know. ... | |
| Great Horned Owl territory | 4/30/2008 |
| Q: Recently I have been hearing at night the call of a Great Horned Owl. What is strange is that the ... A: I just went to a fabulous gem show at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. I have an interest in geology ... | |
| Gannet | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: I am Virginia State and Federally Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator for mammals and songbirds and ... A: I don't personally have any information on rehab for Gannets. They are Pelicaniforms, so they ... | |
| Mockingbird - Followup question | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: No sooner was the 2nd baby dead, then the father was atop our pine tree singing again. He has been ... A: A clutch is a group of eggs laid together. The nest is the place where they are laid. I think the ... | |
| Mockingbird - Followup question | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: No sooner was the 2nd baby dead, then the father was atop our pine tree singing again. He has been ... A: Oh you should have mentioned the heat. Yes, the heat could play a role -especially if the fledglings ... | |
| Mockingbirds - Nesting, Fledglings | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: A beautiful pair of mockingbirds nested in our ficus earlier this mth. 2 babies hatched and ... A: I can't so for sure what caused the fledglings to die. Pesticides is a possibility, especially if ... | |
| Ring tail Pheasant | 4/27/2008 |
| Q: Can Pheasants smeal there seeds there are pecking for under the snow or are there nostrils just for ... A: I'm not sure if they can actually smell it, but if you're concerned about them compromising your ... | |
| parrots | 4/27/2008 |
| Q: i live in Australia and have rozella's in our trees in the back yard.What type of feed would attract ... A: They're basically parakeets, right? Or budgies as the Brits call them. They eat grain and seed. ... | |
| Ring tail Pheasant | 4/27/2008 |
| Q: Can Pheasants smeal there seeds there are pecking for under the snow or are there nostrils just for ... A: Where do you live that it's still snowing in late April? Pheasants supposedly have a keen sense of ... | |
| Duck Eggs | 4/26/2008 |
| Q: We have 8 mallard duck eggs and they look like there getting darker color.what is happening? A: When you say that you "have" them, do you mean there is a nest nearby or that you purchased these ... | |
| duck eggs | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: Last week we noticed a mallard duck hanging around the front of our company, 3-4 days ago, we ... A: The mallard female doesn't usually leave the eggs once they've been laid. It's possible that ... | |
| bird singing at night | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: I live in las vegas and I have a bird that is outside my front door. I haven't ever seen it but I ... A: That would be the sometimes nocturnal but normally diurnal Northern Mockingbird. In Las Vegas, the ... | |
| odd behavior of Grackles (?) | 4/24/2008 |
| Q: I live in Phoenix AZ. This past several days I have noticed what I think are Grackles (but not sure, ... A: As unscientific as this sounds, Grackles are weird. I have seen them do odd things. In Las Vegas, ... | |
| The egg i found | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: How do i check if it is still ok i dont have a camera to send you a pic and is it illegal to have ... A: Okay, that COULD work, if you had some way of regulating the temperature. But you don't. If it's too ... | |
| The egg i found | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: How do i check if it is still ok i dont have a camera to send you a pic and is it illegal to have ... A: If it hasn't been maintaining about 101 degrees F, then it's probably not viable anymore. The only ... | |
| help i found an bird egg on the ground | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: i found an bird egg on the ground what do i do A: I can't tell you much without knowing what sort of bird it is. If the egg is on the ground, that ... | |
| robin mom | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: My family and I had just found a nest in our tree a day later we found out it was a robins nest. I ... A: Robins typically lay their eggs over a course of a week. They lay about one egg a day. A Robin's ... | |
| birds-windows | 4/20/2008 |
| Q: i've had a robin flying into my living windows for the past 3 weeks. i've hung windchimes, a bird ... A: I think I answer this question more often than any other. I'm going to copy my previous response... ... | |
| hatching goose eggs | 4/20/2008 |
| Q: I've been watching the nest of a goose. The mother sat on her nest for a while but then just stopped ... A: Typically Geese/Ducks do not leave their nest once they are finished laying their brood. The amount ... | |
| ABANDONED BABY BIRDs!!!!! | 4/17/2008 |
| Q: well it happened to fall, and when it was going to fall on me i cought it but there were 2 baby ... A: First of all, do your parents know? Second, I can't tell you much unless I know how old these birds ... | |
| Bird call | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: I live in Calgary, Alberta. I often hear a bird call (especially in spring) with a distinct sound. ... A: Okay, I have to be honest. I am not an expert on Canadian birds. We share many of the same species, ... | |
| mallard duck eggs | 4/14/2008 |
| Q: My sister and her friend went down to our creek early this morning and a mallard flew from her nest ... A: It's unusual for a mallard to leave her eggs once she is done laying them. Ten is definitely a full ... | |
| Cardinal flying into windows | 4/13/2008 |
| Q: I have a cardinal that has been flying into my windows for a month. I have tried moving things ... A: Typically birds fly into windows for two reasons. 1. They have terrible depth perception and cannot ... | |
| eerie sounds at night | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: Bucks Co, Pa. Suburbia. At 11pm was woken by a loud noise that was something between a screech and a ... A: No Cougars or Pumas in Pennsylvania. You have Lynx and Bobcats, neither of which tend to be ... | |
| mourning dove mating | 4/9/2008 |
| Q: Mourning doves are nesting in a flower pot on my fire escape. The past few days I have spotted 2 ... A: Oh, nice picture. That's funny. Yes, doves nest in colonies and often in the same place from one ... | |
| goslings and ducklings | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: Do you know of any significant differences between goslings and ducklings? A: Yes, goslings are baby geese and ducklings are baby ducks. They're two different species of animals. ... | |
| Cardinal | 4/4/2008 |
| Q: I ahve a cardinal tapping on my bedroom window every morning at 7am for about a month. How do I ... A: Okay, couple things. 1. Is this a first or second story window? 2. Does the window have a ... | |
| stunned bird | 4/2/2008 |
| Q: I always thought a wild bird should not be handled, but neccessity has us handling wild birds. I ... A: You can handle them. It's an urban myth that touching them has any sort of magical effect on their ... | |
| pigeon nesting | 4/2/2008 |
| Q: I live in Colorado and have found a pigeon nesting on 2 eggs on the ground outside of our entrance ... A: I hate to say it, but you need to leave this one up to nature. Pigeons aren't very bright and they ... | |
| Established Cockateil & New Red Belly Parrot | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: I am considering purchasing a 5 mo old Red Belly Parrot. I have a cockatiel who has been with me ... A: My belief is that if they are going to be in separate cages, it should not be an issue. Cockatiels ... | |
| Help me ID a friendly bird | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: I go to college in the north harris area of spring, TX, which is about a 45 min drive north from ... A: Sounds to me like it could be either a Black or Yellow Crowned Night Heron -both have red eyes and ... | |
| Identification of Nest | 3/24/2008 |
| Q: I live in Keene, Texas, south of Fort Worth. This afternoon I went out to check the level on the ... A: Okay, that is one tiny egg. The reason I wanted to see is because typically birds that lay such ... | |
| parrots in central AZ. | 3/24/2008 |
| Q: For nearly a year we have been noticing what appear to be peach faced lovebirds in our backyard in ... A: Lucky you! If you go to your local pet store -Petco or Petsmart are good ones -you can find nesting ... | |
| Apparent abandon nest with 5 eggs???? | 3/22/2008 |
| Q: I live in the warm area of Palm Springs, had the joy of watching a very small bird-mostly black with ... A: I just happened to be sitting here... Unfortunately, if the parents do not return soon, the eggs ... | |
| Apparent abandon nest with 5 eggs???? | 3/22/2008 |
| Q: I live in the warm area of Palm Springs, had the joy of watching a very small bird-mostly black with ... A: Sounds like a Black Phoebe. Usually both the male and female participate in the nesting. The ... | |
| Robins | 3/20/2008 |
| Q: Spring has sprung and the robins are back. We have a breeding pair in our backyard every morning. ... A: I don't know why this is such a problem for some people. It must be the most common complain of all. ... | |
| WHITE BIRD EGG | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: I FOUND A SMALL WHITE BIRD'S EGG ON MY FRONT STOOP THIS NOON. IT MEASURES APPROXIMATELY 1" IN ... A: Is the egg broken? Does it look like it sustained a fall? If so, what might have happened is that ... | |
| cannot id this bird ! | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: i live in southern oregon the bird was probing the grass near a scrubjay and was about 3 times its ... A: Okay. It sounds like it could be a game bird -given the walking and broad breast. That means the ... | |
| cannot id this bird ! | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: i live in southern oregon the bird was probing the grass near a scrubjay and was about 3 times its ... A: Okay, given your description, I'm going to take a stab. You said it was large, obviously larger ... | |
| feeding cranberries to bluebirds | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: Do you know if I could encourage bluebirds to build in a house if I provided berries in a feeder? I ... A: The best way to attract bluebirds is actually with mealworms. You can buy them freeze dried and not ... | |
| Mourning dove eggs in my hanging plant | 3/11/2008 |
| Q: I had not watered the plant for at least a couple of weeks, so I watered it today to discover the ... A: A lot of Mourning Doves don't leave the nest much once they are sitting on the eggs, even if they ... | |
| Bird Identification | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: Today I was walking and spotted some little birds attacking a bird more than twice their size. Upon ... A: That's why I'm thinking is was probably a Merlin you saw. It's a bit more common. Peregrines do ... | |
| Mourning dove eggs in my hanging plant | 3/6/2008 |
| Q: I had not watered the plant for at least a couple of weeks, so I watered it today to discover the ... A: It depends on how much you watered it. I mean, if you just sprinkled them it will probably be fine. ... | |
| Bird Identification | 3/6/2008 |
| Q: Today I was walking and spotted some little birds attacking a bird more than twice their size. Upon ... A: Okay, based on your description and your location, I'm thinking the raptor was a Merlin or a ... | |
| Bird Identification | 3/6/2008 |
| Q: Today I was walking and spotted some little birds attacking a bird more than twice their size. Upon ... A: Those feathers look remarkably like mourning dove feathers, but I have never heard of doves ... | |
| when is a duck, just a duck? | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: I'm a novelist and need a bit of technical info on the mallard duck. I suppose this would apply to ... A: It depends on the species of duck and how close you are to them to be able to tell. Around 10 weeks ... | |
| when is a duck, just a duck? | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: I'm a novelist and need a bit of technical info on the mallard duck. I suppose this would apply to ... A: This made me laugh. First of all: a duck, in the general sense of the word, can refer to any number ... | |
| capturing pigeons in Arizona? | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: I read another question submitted here by another visitor about the legality of capturing wild ... A: I don't know the individual state laws, but it depends on the species of pigeon. If they are ... | |
| what was it | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: on march.1 i saw mostly black bird with a lot of bright yellow marks and yellow stripes on its ... A: Okay, I checked the distribution for that area. You have only Hooded and Bullock's Orioles, but I'm ... | |
| Stellar Jay's imitation of a gull? | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: The attached YouTube video of a stellar jay sounding to me like a gull, was filmed by me at Stowe ... A: I'm not equipped to download u-tube at the moment. It's been my experience that Stellars Jays can ... | |
| Cardinals | 3/3/2008 |
| Q: Tomball, Texas For the past several years I have had a male cardinal pecking at my windows all day ... A: That's bizzare. Usually the decals and other deterrents are successful. I had a raven that used to ... | |
| what was it | 3/3/2008 |
| Q: on march.1 i saw mostly black bird with a lot of bright yellow marks and yellow stripes on its ... A: Okay, I hate to be a pain, but there are still a number of possibilities here. If you could tell me ... | |
| Allen's Hummingbird | 3/2/2008 |
| Q: This is my first spotting this year of what I'm sure is a male Allen's hummingbird shot in Golden ... A: Yeah, that's definitely an Allen's. It's important to use good resources. I'm assuming you have a ... | |
| Allen's Hummingbird | 3/2/2008 |
| Q: This is my first spotting this year of what I'm sure is a male Allen's hummingbird shot in Golden ... A: Based on the picture, it does look like an Allen's male. But you don't have too many other species ... | |
| Woodpecker | 3/2/2008 |
| Q: Is it possible that a Pileated or a ivory billed woodpecker would be in upstate NY. I saw a very ... A: Well the first thing I can tell you is that this is not a Pileated or an Ivory-Billed. We have not ... | |
| what was it | 3/1/2008 |
| Q: on march.1 i saw mostly black bird with a lot of bright yellow marks and yellow stripes on its ... A: That's a little vague, so I'm going to ask a few other questions to help steer this a bit. Can you ... | |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | 2/28/2008 |
| Q: I took this photo of a ruby-crowned kinglet in Golden Gate Park one day some weeks ago. ... A: Too bad the picture is fuzzy. Yes, it's rare that he reveals his red patch, although more likely now ... | |
| mallard egg on patio | 2/18/2008 |
| Q: A mallard laid one egg on our patio deck, inches from the edge of the pool. If I move "Mom" and egg ... A: The idea that birds will reject an egg or a young that has been touched is something of a myth. ... | |
Birding
Answers by Expert:
Julia Booth
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer questions about bird identification (by sight or sound), behavior, distribution, population, conservation, mating, nesting, fledging and feeding. I do have some practical knowledge about foreign species, but identification skills are limited in that arena. Bear in mind that as much as I know, it's possible that at least some of you will ask a question that I am unable to answer. At which point I would direct you to wherever or whomever I thought could provide you with that information.
Experience
I have 15 years birding experience in Southern California.
Organizations
Audubon Society
Education/Credentials
My education is in art and photography -but I have a substantial portfolio of nature related work.
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