The Mississippi Flyway: An Essential Migration Route

Starting in central Canada and stretching to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi Flyway is the name given to the route followed by birds migrating from their breeding grounds in North America to their wintering grounds in the south…

Chinquapin Takes on Irene

Whimbrel birds stand a height of 1.5 feet and are known to be migrating birds, referred to as long haul fliers, as they are able to travel distances of up to three thousand five hundred miles without resting in between and can maintain speeds of fifty miles per hour. Before they migrate they ready themselves by packing on weight, and will weigh approximately double their usual weight before migrating. What is truly amazing is a bird named Chinquapin that took on Hurricane Irene.

Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)

The impressive Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) is the largest of all falcons. Its body measures roughly 60 cm in length and its wingspan may be as wide as 130 cm. The male is usually about one third smaller than the female and the bird may weigh between 2 to 4.5 pounds. The plumage of the Gyrfalcon [...]

King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)

The King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) is a magnificent bird, receiving its name due to the male’s orange knob on the bill and marvelous blue crown. Whilst the female doesn’t compare to the male in physical attractiveness, both genders are remarkable sea-faring birds and certainly worth looking out for. With the silhouette of a large diving [...]

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)

The Arctic is a harsh environment and most birds that travel to this harsh environment do so in summer to breed, and then migrate back home. The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), Ptarmigan and the snow bunting are some of the few arctic birds that will live there all year round on the snowy tundra. It [...]

The Amazing Migration of the Arctic Tern

The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a relatively small bird that is able to achieve staggering feats of flight. They are easily recognizable by their rounded heads that are covered in smooth black plumage, while the rest of their bodies are white in color. Another interesting fact about the Arctic Tern is that its bright orange beak changes color to red during the breeding. But it is the Arctic Tern migration that has made this little bird specie famous.