Pacific chorus frogs, less than two inches long, swell their throat sacs to three times the size of their heads to send their calls into the night. By March, Rufous Hummingbirds are returning to our region, after wintering in Mexico. Many bird species eat alone, so you might wonder why these birds have chosen to dine together. Because many birds are largely silent in winter, it may seem that they have left us.
Rambunctious chicks pull sticks out and flap madly, holding on with their feet, before they fledge. Snow Geese migrate long distances, stopping at traditional stopover and wintering areas.
By contrast, a human creates sound using only two percent of the air exhaled through the larynx. Pacific chorus frogs, less than two inches long, swell their throat sacs to three times the size of their heads to send their calls into the night.
Several adaptations protect Brown Pelicans as they dive.
It is late February, a few miles from the Columbia River in Central Washington.
It is late February, a few miles from the Columbia River in Central Washington.
Calling again, the Scrub-Jay perches boldly upright atop a tall tree, its long tail spiking downward.
The silence would be deafening, the absence of their songs like the loss of one of our primary senses.
Long-necked and long-legged, these grayish cranes stand three feet tall.
Snow Geese migrate long distances, stopping at traditional stopover and wintering areas. Because many birds are largely silent in winter, it may seem that they have left us.
Dawn breaks across the sagebrush country of Eastern Washington on a brisk March morning. Researchers suggest that the legend goes back into pagan times, when civilizations were keen to have high birthrates. Winter is a great time to travel to Latin America for birdwatching.
One of the best ways to find a towhee is to listen for the scuffling sound it makes as it hunts for food in the leaf litter. The call of the male Ring-necked Pheasant carries over the open wheat field. As early morning light extinguishes the stars, male birds begin to belt out their songs.
In winter, a foraging flock might include several species of birds: chickadees, kinglets, and even a Downy Woodpecker. During spring, the male pheasant establishes his territory and attracts one or more females into his harem.
One of the best ways to find a towhee is to listen for the scuffling sound it makes as it hunts for food in the leaf litter.