We’re feeling extra thankful today, and we’re sharing the bird love with this festive Birdorable graphic! This cute Thanksgiving-themed image features a Birdorable Wild Turkey, along with many other birds found in the United States, wishing everyone a "Happy Thanksgiving Day." It's perfect for sharing with your fellow bird enthusiasts, friends, and family.
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we’re grateful for — and for us, that includes the incredible diversity of birds in our world. From the wild turkey to backyard favorites and exotic species, we’re inspired every day by these feathered friends.
Feel free to download, share, or post this graphic to spread some Thanksgiving cheer. Tag your bird-loving friends and let them know how much they mean to you! We hope your day is filled with gratitude, good food, and (of course) a little birdwatching. 🦃🍂
World Migratory Bird Day is a global celebration of one of the most incredible natural phenomena: bird migration. Each year bird migration is celebrated in the spring and fall. This fall, World Migratory Bird Day is today, October 12, 2024. This is a great opportunity to learn about the remarkable journeys these birds undertake, the challenges they face, and how we can help protect them. Whether you’re a seasoned birdwatcher or a casual nature lover, World Migratory Bird Day is a time to appreciate our feathered friends as they travel across continents.
Bird migration is one of the most impressive survival strategies in the animal kingdom. Each year, billions of birds travel thousands of miles between their breeding and wintering grounds. They navigate through changing weather, avoid predators, and face threats from habitat loss, all to reach their destinations. Some species, like the Arctic Tern, migrate as far as 25,000 miles round-trip, making them one of the most well-traveled animals on Earth. These long-distance travelers remind us of the interconnectedness of ecosystems across the globe.
World Migratory Bird Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of conserving the habitats that migratory birds rely on. It’s a day to highlight the challenges birds face, such as climate change, deforestation, and pollution, and to promote ways we can help protect their migratory pathways. From wetlands to forests, the habitats birds need for resting and feeding are under threat, and it’s up to all of us to help preserve these critical areas.
The special theme for the day this year is insects, and the important role they play in the successful migration of many bird species.
To get into the spirit of World Migratory Bird Day, let’s take a look at a few fun facts about migratory birds:
Longest Migration: The Arctic Tern holds the record for the longest migration. These incredible birds fly from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back every year, covering up to 25,000 miles! That means they see two summers each year, living in nearly constant daylight as they chase the sun across the globe.
Longest Non-stop Flight The Bar-tailed Godwit holds the record for the longest non-stop flight of any bird. These shorebirds fly from their breeding grounds in Alaska to their wintering grounds in New Zealand, a distance of over 6,800 miles. Like some other amazing migrants, they complete this journey without stopping for food, water, or rest. These godwits may fly non-stop for up to nine days straight! This incredible endurance is made possible by their ability to store large amounts of body fat before migration.
Highest Flyer: The Bar-headed Goose is known for flying over the Himalayas during its migration, reaching altitudes of up to 29,000 feet. That’s higher than Mount Everest! These birds have specially adapted bodies that help them thrive in thin, oxygen-poor air.
Nonstop Warbler: The Blackpoll Warbler, a small songbird, makes a nonstop flight over the Atlantic Ocean during its fall migration. It flies for about 72 hours straight, covering up to 1,500 miles without stopping for food or water. This is the longest migration taken by any species of warbler. Talk about endurance!
Impressive Commuters The Red Knot is a long-distance migratory bird, covering up to 9,300 miles each year. These birds breed in the Arctic and migrate to coastal areas as far south as South America, including Tierra del Fuego. Red Knots rely on specific stopover sites along their migration route, where they refuel by eating small invertebrates, particularly horseshoe crab eggs. Their migration is one of the longest known among shorebirds.
Massive Flocks: Some migratory birds travel in enormous flocks. The Snow Goose, for example, can be seen flying in groups of thousands as they head south for the winter. Their synchronized flight patterns, often in the iconic V-formation, help conserve energy during long migrations.
Magnetic Navigators: Many migratory birds, like the European Robin, have a special ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field. This internal compass helps them find their way, even across vast distances and unfamiliar terrain. Scientists are still studying exactly how this works, but it’s clear that birds have an impressive sense of direction!
Flight Not Required The Adélie Penguin, native to Antarctica, undertakes a journey of up to8,100 miles each year. Unlike flying migratory birds, Adélie Penguins travel by walking, swimming, and sliding on their bellies. These penguins migrate between their breeding colonies and feeding grounds, navigating across vast distances of ice and sea. They are known for their tough, cold-enduring lifestyle, thriving in some of the harshest environments on Earth.
One of the best ways to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day is to spend time outdoors observing birds. Many species are in the middle of their migration in the middle of October, making it a prime time to catch sight of birds passing through your area. Head to a local park, wetland, or nature reserve with your binoculars, and see which migratory birds you can spot. You might see a flock of geese flying overhead, or a tiny warbler flitting through the trees, refueling for its long journey.
Another great way to participate is by supporting conservation efforts. Many organizations work to protect migratory bird habitats and reduce the threats they face. Donating to these groups, participating in citizen science projects like eBird, or planting native trees and shrubs in your backyard are all great ways to help.
World Migratory Bird Day is a time to marvel at the extraordinary feats of these birds and to reflect on the importance of preserving their habitats for future generations. Whether you’re a birdwatcher, conservationist, or just someone who loves nature, this special day is a reminder of how birds connect us across countries and continents.
Father's Day is a special occasion to honor the dedication, love, and hard work of fathers and father figures across the globe. While we celebrate the human dads in our lives, it's also a perfect time to recognize the incredible fathers in the animal kingdom, particularly among birds. Bird dads come in all shapes and sizes, each with unique and fascinating parenting roles that highlight their dedication to nurturing and protecting their offspring.
Father's Day will be celebrated on June 16, 2024. That's just 10 days away -- which means you still have time to find something for your pop. If dad likes birds, be sure to check out our Birdorable Amazon shop, where items ship fast and free with Amazon Prime.
Father's Day Gift Ideas from Birdorable's Amazon Shop
Back in 2019, we shared some fun facts to mark the day: Fun Avian Dad Facts for Father's Day. As dad's day approaches this year, let's take a look at some more awesome facts about avian dads.
Father rheas are dedicated single dads. After constructing the nest alone, they court multiple females, who together may lay up to 60 eggs in his nest. The male incubates the eggs and raises the chicks on his own. He protects and cares for the young until they are old enough to fend for themselves -- at least six months.
Father Killdeer are very active in the nesting process. They participate in nest building, typically initiating the creation of the scrape. They incubate the eggs, and do most of the overnight shift. They also help to protect the nest and chicks by performing the well-known Killdeer injury-feigning display.
Red-winged Blackbird dads are known for their territorial nature, especially during the breeding season. They arrive first on breeding sites and establish territory. They will fiercely defend their nesting area throughout courtship, nest-building, and chick-rearing. Part of this defense includes a predator alert system involving different call types for different threats. Though the females build the nests, males participate in "Symbolic Nest-building Display" which involves play-nest-building.
Common Loon dads are active participants in both nest-building and chick-rearing. They typically choose the nesting site and work together with the female to build the nest. They share in egg incubation, and both carry chicks on their backs to keep them warm and safe, and teach them to dive and catch fish.
Common Loon with Chick on Back Father's Day Gift Ideas
Male sandgrouse in arid regions are known for their unique method of providing water to their chicks. They soak their belly feathers in water and fly long distances back to the nest, allowing the chicks to drink from their feathers.
Father Great Horned Owls are excellent providers. When their chicks are young, the males do all of the hunting and bring food to the female and the chicks, ensuring that the family is well-fed. They also help protect the nest from potential threats.
It's almost time for Female Bird Day! During Memorial Day Weekend (May 25-27, 2024), birders and bird lovers celebrate the remarkable and often overlooked world of female birds. While their colors may be more subtle, and their songs more muted, female birds are obviously integral to the avian world. Whether you're an avid birdwatcher or simply a nature enthusiast, understanding the unique behaviors of our feathered female friends enriches our appreciation of biodiversity.
Female birds play a crucial role in mate selection, significantly impacting species survival and evolution. They often choose mates based on physical attributes, such as bright plumage and size, which indicate a male's health and genetic quality. Courtship displays, like dances and songs, are other ways to signal a male's fitness. Additionally, females prefer males that control high-quality territories with abundant food and nesting sites, ensuring better resources for raising offspring. In species where males help with parental duties, females select mates based on their ability to provide care and protection.
This selective process is vital for species survival as it enhances survivability rates, making populations more adaptable and resilient to changing environments and emerging threats. By choosing mates with superior genetics and good health, females increase the likelihood of producing healthy offspring, who are more likely to survive and reproduce. Female preferences drive the evolution of specific traits in males, leading to the development of more pronounced and specialized characteristics that help species adapt and thrive. Overall, female mate selection ensures the health and viability of bird populations, contributing to their long-term survival and success.
Females Sing
Contrary to popular belief that male birds are the primary vocalizers, in many species, female birds sing as well, sometimes as loudly and as often as males. Reasons for singing are similar to those for males. Females may sing in duet with males as a part of courtship or pair-bonding, they may vocalize to help defend territory, or for other communication reasons.
American Robin with brood patch by VSPYCC (CC BY 2.0 Deed)
Nest Building
In many bird species, females take the lead in nest building. This task involves selecting the nest site and gathering materials such as twigs, leaves, grass, feathers, and mud. Female birds often have specialized skills and instincts for constructing secure and comfortable nests that provide protection and optimal conditions for their eggs and chicks.
Raising Young
Once the eggs are laid, female birds typically assume a significant role in incubation and caring for the young. In many species, the female incubates the eggs alone, using her body heat to keep them at the proper temperature for development. Many also develop a brood patch, an area of bare skin on the underbody, to better maintain egg temperature during incubation. This period can last from several days to a few weeks, depending on the species. After the chicks hatch, females often take the primary role in feeding and caring for the young.
In many bird species, females and males migrate at different times, distances, or routes, a phenomenon known as differential migration. The physiological and ecological demands on female birds, particularly related to reproduction, heavily influence their migratory behavior.
Females and males may travel different distances during migration. In some species, females undertake longer migrations than males. This can be due to differences in body size, with females sometimes being larger and better able to endure longer journeys. Additionally, different nutritional needs or environmental pressures can lead to varied migratory routes.
Females often migrate later than males in the spring and earlier in the fall. For example, in some songbird species, males arrive at breeding grounds earlier to establish and defend territories, ensuring they have prime nesting sites when females arrive. Conversely, females may migrate earlier in the fall to reach wintering grounds sooner, securing the best feeding areas.
In some species, males and females tend to spend the off-season in completely different habitats, or at different elevations. Studying these differences can be important in understanding population trends. For example, if the wintering grounds of female birds is threatened by habitat destruction, the entire species may be in peril, even when the population may seem abundant due to the health of the winter habitat of male birds. So if we focus only on males, important species conservation data may be lost.
Female birds not only fascinate with their behaviors and roles but also inspire with their resilience and importance to ecological balance. They pollinate plants, disperse seeds, control pests, and their nesting materials can even aid in the growth of plants, which in turn supports a larger biodiversity.
Celebrating Female Bird Day isn't just about giving these avian heroines their due recognition. It's about understanding the vital roles they play in nature and encouraging conservation efforts to see them, and protect them and their habitats. Their survival and well-being are crucial not only for their species but for ecosystems around the world.
To learn more about female birds, follow the hashtag #FemaleBirdDay during Memorial Day weekend to see how others are celebrating or visit the Female Bird Day website. You can participate in the weekend by focusing on female birds when you go out birding this weekend. If you use eBird, fill in the sex data for your list to indicate female birds you found.
Celebrate Earth Day with our feathered friends at Birdorable! We've created a collection of shareable Birdorable graphics featuring some of the world's most beloved birds. These cute and colorful images are perfect for spreading awareness and joy on social media. Whether you're an avid birder or just a nature lover, these graphics are sure to brighten your feed and inspire your friends and followers to cherish and protect our Earth. Let's tweet, post, and share our way to a more bird-friendly world this Earth Day! 🌎 💚 🌍💚🌏
This colorful image is teeming with a host of cute Birdorable birds from around the globe. From the Bald Eagle and Hoopoe to the Kakapo and Andean Condor, birds from around the world come together to celebrate Earth Day.
Celebrate Earth Day with this huge crowd of feathered friends by sharing our "Happy Earth Day" graphic from Birdorable! Let the world know you care about our birds and the earth we all call home with this Birdorable shareable graphic celebrating Earth Day!
The image has over 30 different Birdorable birds from around the globe, such as the friendly American Robin, the majestic Bateleur, the vibrant Spix's Macaw, and the elegant Sarus Crane. It's an ideal addition to your Facebook or Instagram feed to spread awareness and join in the global celebration of our planet.
In ornithology, the term 'billing' refers to a courtship behavior displayed by certain bird species where two individuals touch, tap, or clasp each other's beaks. It is also known as beak-tapping or bill-tapping. It's called nebbing in British English.
This behavior is often seen in birds that form strong pair bonds and in some ways can be likened to kissing in humans. As today is Valentine's Day (it's always on February 14th), let's look at this interesting bonding behavior, and learn why birds engage in this activity.
Strengthening Pair Bonds Billing is a sign of affection and helps to strengthen the bond between a mating pair. It is commonly observed in species that mate for life or have long-term partnerships Common Ravens hold each other's bills and feet as part of pair bonding. Atlantic Puffins tap bills quickly as part of their pair bonding behavior, as shown in the video below.
Mutual Grooming In some cases, billing is part of mutual grooming (allopreening), where birds clean each other's feathers. Rock Pigeons engage in allopreening which includes mutual beak-touching.
Courtship Ritual Billing is an essential part of the courtship ritual in many species. It is a display of trust and partnership, which can be critical in the mate-selection process. Courting Cedar Waxwings rub their beaks together and pass food to one another. Many albatross species engage in beak-tapping as part of their courtship, like the Waved Albatrosses in the below video.
Territorial and Social Signaling In some instances, billing can also be a way of demonstrating a pair's territorial bond to other birds, signaling that they are a united and established couple.
Billing is a fascinating aspect of avian behavior that highlights the complex social interactions and emotional connections between birds.
It's that cozy time of year again, and we want to send our warmest wishes to you this Christmas. 🌟
During this festive season, let's remember our feathered friends who bring so much joy into our lives. Birds, with their cheerful songs and bright colors, remind us to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. If you can, put out a feeder or a fresh birdbath for the birds in your yard. It's a small way to give back to our bird friends during these chilly months.
Looking ahead, we're excited for another year full of bird-loving fun. We can't wait to share more adorable Birdorable birds with you! So, here's a big Merry Christmas 🎄 from the Birdorable team! We hope your holiday is full of happiness, love, and of course, birds! ❤️
Do you recognize all the Birdorable bird species in this image? Check the Meet the Birds section on our website to find them all!
As we count down to Christmas, we’re excited to bring a little extra sparkle to your holiday season with our Birdorable Christmas Coloring Pages!
At Birdorable, we believe that the beauty of nature, especially our feathered friends, can add a special touch to your festive celebrations. That's why we've crafted a unique collection of coloring pages featuring some of our most beloved birds, all dressed up for the holidays in their Birdorable style. From the majestic California Condor to the charming Cockatiel, the historic Passenger Pigeon to the long-distance flyer Bar-tailed Godwit, the adorable Atlantic Puffin, and the ever-jolly Laughing Kookaburra – each bird brings its unique charm to your coloring experience.
Coloring isn't just for kids! It's a wonderful family activity and a perfect way to unwind and express creativity. Our Birdorable coloring pages are designed to appeal to bird lovers of all ages. They’re a great way to introduce the little ones to the fascinating world of birds while also offering a fun challenge for adults who love to color.
Ready to start coloring? These delightful pages are available for free on our website. Simply download, print, and start coloring! Share your creations on social media using the hashtag #Birdorable and let's spread the joy and beauty of birds this holiday season.
So, grab your coloring tools, gather your family, and let the Birdorable birds add an extra dash of color and joy to your Christmas celebrations. Happy coloring and happy holidays! View all our coloring pages here.
In most bird families, males and females both participate in the raising of their young. In 8% of cases, the female does everything related to care of eggs and raising offspring. And in just 1% of bird species does the male do all of the work -- after the eggs are laid, of course.
Some species are polyadrous, meaning individual birds will have different mates during the same breeding season. In the case of the Spotted Sandpiper, females will often have two clutches, the first of which she leaves after the eggs are laid. It's up to her mate to incubate the eggs and rear the chicks. She will then find a new mate and help to raise her second clutch with the new male.
Emus exhibit similar behavior, though male Emus go through a more extreme experience during incubation. During the approximate 8-week period, he does not leave the nest for any reason. He may lose up to a third of his bodyweight while he forgoes eating, drinking, and even defecating, standing up only to turn the eggs. Once the chicks are hatched, father Emu will protect his young for up to seven months, which is about how long it takes for them to fully grow. The group may stay together as a family for up to two years.
The paternal (father) duties of the Emperor Penguin are widely known. After the female lays the pair's one and only egg, she carefully transfers it to the male. And then she leaves him for two months. While she is out to sea, feeding, the male remains behind, incubating their egg between the brood patch on its underbelly and its feet. When the egg hatches, the male may have been fasting for over 100 days since he first arrived at the breeding colony. Once his mate returns, she cares for the chick so the male can finally go to the sea to find food.
Hornbills have an unusual breeding strategy that involves the female being practially sealed inside the nest cavity with the eggs, with only a small slit left open. This small opening allows the male to transfer food to his mate and to the chicks, once they hatch. During incubation and the hatchling phase, the family relies entirely on the male to provide food. The mother and chicks only leave the nest once they are too large to remain inside.
Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there, avian and otherwise!
Traditionally, April Fools' Day is a time to play pranks, share hoaxes, and tell jokes. April Fool stories published by newspapers and other media outlets may trick readers into believing tall tales -- until they realize the date. Here are some bird-themed funnies that have come out on April Fools' Days in the past.
Google is known to reveal a prank each April Fools' Day, often involving a new product or service in their technology offering. In 2002 they introduced PigeonRank to the world, exposing the truth behind their search technology. Pigeon Clusters (PCs) were the true power Google used to rank and sort web pages. The somewhat elaborate story behind PigeonRank was shared in detail, including graphs and diagrams and a FAQ.
A popular video was released by the BBC in April Fools' Day 2008 which showed Adelie Penguins taking flight. At the time it was one of the most viewed internet videos.
Then there was that time when we revealed a new species of crane that was discovered in South America. We even shared a colorful Birdorable image of the new species, which we dubbed the Painted Crane (Grus pictus). This April Fool prank came out just as we were celebrating Crane Week -- it was an incredible coincidence!
Watch out for more pranks and hoaxes as you go about your day and keep in mind the date! Happy April Fools' Day!
