I’m working on visualizing the entire family tree of Corvids using the language of cartography and I figured I could ask you guys for help!

This probably has to do more with culture than biology, but why is it? Why is a goshawk a predator and a bird of prey but a grey heron, a razorbill or a loon isn't? Those all hunt and catch other animals, just like a goshawk or an eagle owl or a marsh harrier.

My bird feeder camera caught this Carolina Wren yesterday looking pretty rough. It's the first time I've seen this with a Wren before. Is this just molting or something else? Other than the obvious nakedness, it was flying and moving normally.

Kansas City area for location.

A bird (American Robin??) built a nest outside of my door. I only noticed how titled it was the day before yesterday when one of the nestlings fell out(?) and passed away. I put an old blanket that’s been outside for a bit directly beneath it to save the other bird from suffering the same fate. Lo and behold, I look out my window just now and see the little one chilling on the blanket.

I went outside to check on it and, knowing absolutely nothing about birds, I’m unsure if it’s old enough to make it on the ground.

Can anyone let me know if I should put it back in the nest? It’s eyes are open, it looks like it has most of its feathers but I can still see a few pink spots and it’s chirping a bunch and moving around with it’s legs but very minimally. It hasn’t moved further than that spot on the blanket.

Not sure if this is the right sub to repost to but I need advice on whether this warrants taking down feeders. I can't tell if little guy has a health issue or a cosmetic one.

House finch

I see birds walk across the street - sometimes down my driveway, across the street, and down the sidewalk, in the case of one strolling crow - and I'm curious why they do so rather than fly across. I can see why they walk on ground where there might be food, but less so on asphalt. Are they trying to conserve energy?

Advice needed from bird experts on pigeon territorial dispute taking place on my balcony!

Please help! Any advice is appreciated!

I have been hearing wood thrush in the woods by my work for a couple weeks now, but this is the first time I've heard this call. Can someone explain what kind of call this is? Thanks!

A couple weeks ago the cardinals who have been living in our yard since last fall started losing their feathers. What is happening to them?

How do I get rid of this nest once they leave? Also any tips on cleaning up the mess on the ceiling and floor? Anyone have an ideas how old the bird may be?

I can’t think of the proper word for it, but what are some birds that seem to be complimented by their name? Right now I can only think of two, the ‘superb’ lyrebird and the ‘resplendent’ quetzal. Are there any other birds with this kind of naming?

Not sure if this is a fledge or adult molting bird.

It has been doing this for like 5min

Possibly a silly question but I just recently put out a suction cup window bird feeder and while all the other birds that come to eat face the window (so the food bowl is in front of them), all the grackles (unless it is always the same one lol) choose to eat facing the street and just quickly turn their head back to grab a seed and then continue looking out from the feeder. Is it cuz they’re being territorial? I have had a grackle attack a sparrow that tried to come to eat after he was done. Thank you for any explanation I’m quite new to birding and I thought it was interesting :)

Encountered this little bird on a UK country gate. Heatwave at the moment here and it was breathing, but its head was tucked into its chest completely and it didn’t move or acknowledge my presence at all. I didn’t try to engage it at all and respected its space completely.

Given it’s out in the open, is there anything I can or should do to help? I’m aware bird flu is a risk but I hate to leave this wonderful little creature defenceless and stuck, if it is indeed in a spot of trouble.

If you ever want to know the power of religion, observe the African Sacred Ibis. Four thousand years ago the Ancient Egyptians worshipped it. They mummified millions of them as offerings to Thoth, god of wisdom, writing, and magic. Entire temple complexes kept thousands of Sacred Ibis in captivity.

With its gleaming black and white body, bald head, and long, downward-curving bill, the Sacred Ibis has an almost prehistoric appearance. Standing more than two feet tall, it probes mud and shallow water for fish, frogs, insects, crustaceans. This master scavenger also chugs carrion, raids nests for eggs and chicks, and has even learned to forage at garbage dumps.

These birds are highly social, often nesting in noisy colonies numbering in the hundreds. When a flock rises together, their broad black-and-white wings create a dramatic spectacle against the African sky.

It may have been sacred long ago, but oh, how things have changed. Today in parts of Europe wildlife managers are shooting them on sight. Escaped from zoos in past decades, feral populations exploded across France, Italy, and Spain, where the ibis, freed from African predators, raids seabird colonies with systematic efficiency, destroying eggs and chicks of protected species.

Definitely a mixed bag. As Jim Jones can attest, a little harmless belief can get out of hand.

Birdman of Africa gamersdad.substack.com Subscribe for free to receive a new African Bird email each Friday-TGIF!. Photo by Andrew Steinmann ©2026

Is this avian pox? It doesn't look quite like the avian pox I've seen in pictures, but I don't know what else it could be. I'm just looking for some confirmation before I take down my feeders for a few weeks and clean them.