Conor Gearin

Omaha

Writer at Freelance

Contributor at BirdNote

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Articles

Orchard Orioles Band Together

1 month ago | birdnote.org | Conor Gearin

BirdNote®Orchard Orioles Band TogetherWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. [Orchard Oriole song, ML100785]This bird’s song sounds like a nasally imitation of a robin, and the bird singing it is a rusty-brown riff on a Baltimore Oriole. Called the Orchard Oriole, males have chestnut-colored breasts and black backs and wings, while females and immature birds are mostly yellow.
How to Be a Better Wildlife Photographer

1 month ago | birdnote.org | Conor Gearin

BirdNote®How to Be a Better Wildlife PhotographerWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. Conservation photographer Noppadol Paothong says that if you go out to take pictures of birds, you shouldn’t just aim to take an eye-catching photo. Noppadol Paothong: I think what's different in my approach is that I know the subject I photograph. I like to watch the animal I photograph, and sometimes I would rather watch them than photograph them.
A Lost Hummingbird is Found Again

2 months ago | birdnote.org | Conor Gearin

BirdNote®A Lost Hummingbird is Found AgainWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. [Colombian mountain birdsong]The Santa Marta Sabrewing is a hummingbird species so rare, they’ve only been documented twice in recent years. Native to the mountains of Colombia, they’re part of the hummingbird group called “emeralds” for their luminous green feathers. Officially described in 1946, no one reported another sighting until 2010. Then the sabrewings went missing for years.
A Kettle of Vultures

2 months ago | birdnote.org | Gregg Thompson |Conor Gearin

BirdNote®A Kettle of VulturesWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. [Gusts of wind]The sight of hundreds of vultures slowly circling overhead might seem pretty ominous. But most of the time, it just means the vultures are on their way somewhere else. In the daytime, hot air rises as the sun heats the ground. The rising column of air is called a thermal, and it’s the perfect way for a Turkey Vulture to hitch a ride. Like an elevator to the skies, the thermal gently wafts the vultures upward.
Raising the World’s Deadliest Bird

2 months ago | birdnote.org | Conor Gearin

BirdNote®Raising the World’s Deadliest BirdWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. You might think the first bird species that humans raised in captivity would be a relatively small one, like a chicken. [Rooster call] [Soundscape from Southern Cassowary habitat]But evidence suggests that people in New Guinea reared the cassowary, often called the world’s deadliest bird, as much as 18,000 years ago, long before the domestication of chickens.
Great-tailed Grackle

2 months ago | birdnote.org | Gregg Thompson |Conor Gearin

BirdNote®Great-tailed GrackleWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. [Great-tailed Grackle calls]Great-tailed Grackles live up to their name. The glossy black males trail their long, V-shaped tails behind them as they fly, almost like a plane towing a banner ad. And while not quite as flashy, the brown-feathered females have impressively long tails, too. The males settle disputes by fanning their tails — but if the feathers aren’t enough to intimidate their rival, a wrestling match ensues.
From Bobwhite Coveys to Pairs

2 months ago | birdnote.org | Gregg Thompson |Conor Gearin

BirdNote®From Bobwhite Coveys to PairsWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. [Northern Bobwhite covey call] [Winter Ambience]Throughout winter, Northern Bobwhites gather in groups called ‘coveys’ to search for food during the day and share warmth at night. These small quail arrange themselves in a circle, with their tails in the center and heads outward, huddled up like a wreath of plump birds to survive frost and snow.
Melanin Makes Feathers Stronger

Mar 27, 2025 | birdnote.org | Conor Gearin

BirdNote®Melanin Makes Feathers StrongerWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. [Ring-billed Gull calls]If you take a look at birds’ wings, you might notice a pattern. Many species have black feathers on the trailing edge of their wings, regardless of what color most of their feathers are. Birds as different as gulls, pelicans, storks, and flamingos all have black-tipped wings. [American Flamingo flock calls]These flight feathers are rich in a pigment called melanin.
Field Sparrow Nests Climb Higher and Higher

Mar 17, 2025 | birdnote.org | Conor Gearin

BirdNote®Field Sparrow Nests Climb Higher and HigherWritten by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. [Field Sparrow song, ML94430, 0:32-0:35]When a Field Sparrow builds a nest early in spring, dense grasses offer the best cover, so that’s where she builds. But it’s only the first of several nests she’ll make. Later in the season, as shrubs and trees grow their leaves, Field Sparrows nest again and again, higher off the ground each time — to protect their eggs from mammals and snakes.
Squirrel or Bird?

Mar 14, 2025 | birdnote.org | Conor Gearin

BirdNote®Squirrel or Bird? Written by Conor GearinThis is BirdNote. [Fox Squirrel barks]Identifying birds by ear means getting familiar with each species’ unique voice. And that means learning the other voices in the ecosystem, too.