Bird is the Word

As I stood in line to vote this year, I thought about the birds migrating thousands of miles above my head. How do they choose

A pair of recent studies has shed light on the complex world of avian communication, and adds further support to the argument that there is

Seeing a northern flicker in flight is like watching a painted canvas in motion—the underside of its wings are a bright pastel orange at the

One of the most well-known birds in North America, the roadrunner was an iconic symbol to humans long before the animated antics of Looney Tunes

While other birds greet the morning with song, woodpeckers provide the beat, rapidly drumming against bark and sending rhythmic echoes through the air. They aren’t

​With more than 90 million birds infected across 48 states, and the bird flu discovered in one of four samples of milk taken from across

As the snow melts and flowers bloom, this season is an excellent time to see birds making their way through New Mexico on their migratory

In a major win for conservationists, the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C. ruled against the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association and upheld the endangered

They are the most fearless visitor my bird feeders receive. When other birds fly away in a flock, the humble black-capped chickadee remains, hopping about

Pigeons get a bad rap, and not without good reason. They can spread disease through their droppings, they crowd birdfeeders to bully away smaller species,

Peafowl hardly seem to be a fit for the harsh climate of New Mexico. Whereas native birds have adapted to desert conditions with camouflage and

A new visitor is curiously inspecting the bird feeder I’ve just filled. A grayish-blue cloak of feathers beneath a bright indigo cap: it’s not without

The Bald Eagle became the national bird of the United States on June 20, replacing the white eagle that previously adorned the national emblem with

For centuries, from coast to coast, in cities and suburbs, fields and forests, the American Robin has established nests in every contiguous state and filled

I had the opportunity to speak with UNM ornithologist Ethan Linck and his colleague Ryan Terril about how our changing climate is affecting migratory and

Full disclosure: I eat chicken. Perhaps it’s hypocritical of me to do so, given my monthly exaltation of birds, but chicken is nutritious, easily accessible,

When I began writing this column two years ago, I wanted to impart upon my neighbors in the greater Northern New Mexico area the importance

Sporting shimmering green wings that stretch out to a 20-inch wingspan, a ruby-red face and a bright-pink chest, at first glance the Lewis’s Woodpecker almost

In a major win for birds and all wildlife, New Mexico has created the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund, a dedicated revenue stream supporting conservation

They’re certainly eye-catching, to say the least: shimmering brown feathers topped with a lemon-colored beak, starlings are very easy on the eyes. Unfortunately, they’re very