When breeding, these birds eat a mixture of seeds and invertebrates, and parents provision their young with the latter almost exclusively. During migration and while on wintering grounds, bobolinks subsist on a variety of seeds from wild and commercially-grown plants.
Ospreys suffered steep declines in the mid-20th century due to pesticide contamination, especially DDT, which thinned eggshells and reduced nesting success. With the banning of DDT, cleaner waterways, and widespread installation of nest platforms, many osprey populations have rebounded.
Written by Peter Pearsall/Photo by Peter Pearsall Bold, brash, and unmistakable, the yellow-headed blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) is one of North America’s most striking marsh birds. With its golden head and jet-black body, the male looks almost
Written by Peter Pearsall/Photo by Peter Pearsall If you’ve ever been in a grocery store parking lot and locked eyes with a glossy black bird strutting like it owns the place, chances
Written by Peter Pearsall/Photo illustration by Peter Pearsall, using photographs by Dan Streiffert The New World blackbird family, Icteridae, comprises familiar temperate species such as orioles, meadowlarks, grackles, and cowbirds,
