When all the eggs are laid, incubation begins, so all the eggs hatch about the same time.
In late summer, juvenile Glaucous-winged Gulls are taking flight over downtown Seattle.
Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Osprey nests are protected, even on cell towers.
A Rock Pigeon bobs its head as it walks.
The nests are bits of gravel, debris, and dried vegetation or sticks, often next to a wall or chimney. Crows are ferocious and fearless parents.
A rough interior helps young birds scramble to the hole. California Quail build their well-concealed nests right on the ground. Plain natural wood is good. A Rock Pigeon bobs its head as it walks. Have you ever wondered if a hummingbird can recognize colors other than red, or if other birds see color?
Like most birds, these sparrows enjoy a daily bath.
A century later, they were all gone. When Turkey Vultures circle low, you can see their naked red heads and deeply slotted black primary feathers, which the wind separates and turns up expressively.
Look farther out, and you might see Pigeon Guillemots. The songs of a Bewick's Wren can carry for more than a quarter of a mile, produced by vocal chords no larger than a raindrop.
Hang or place the nest box well above the reach of mammal predators. Flashy tail-feathers can help a bird escape a predator.
Only the Glaucous-winged Gull nests in the Pacific Northwest, so for months, gull-watching has been pretty tame. The tern whirls, folds its wings, and plunges into the water, diving for small fish that swim just below the surface.
Listen quietly at dusk in the evergreen forests of the Puget Lowlands, and you are likely to hear the melodious, spiraling song of the Swainson's Thrush. The female incubates the eggs, while the male brings food to her.