Conor Gearin

2 weeks 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.

3 weeks 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.

3 weeks 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.

3 weeks 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.

1 month 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.