Todd Peterson

1 week ago | birdnote.org | Todd Peterson

Male Bobolinks are first to arrive on their breeding grounds in the grasslands. Why are there fewer Bobolinks than in decades past? Probably because the landscape of North America has changed so much. Bobolinks originally nested on native prairies of the Midwest and southern Canada. Much of the land where they nested has come under intense cultivation.

Jan 31, 2025 | loe.org | Todd Peterson

Air Date: Week of On a still winter afternoon, you may hear Common Goldeneyes flying low across the water. As Ernest Hemingway wrote, their wings make the sound of ripping silk. BirdNote®’s Michael Stein reports. Transcript DOERING: It’s Living on Earth, I’m Jenni Doering. O’NEILL: And I’m Aynsley O’Neill.

Nov 23, 2024 | birdnote.org | Todd Peterson

BirdNote®Goldeneyes and Whistling WingsWritten by Todd PetersonThis is BirdNote!(Sound of Barrow’s Goldeneye wings in flight)You may get to know these birds by sound as much as sight. On a still winter afternoon, walking the shore of Puget or Long Island Sound, you’ll hear them coming low across the water. Goldeneyes, also known as “whistlers”, their wings sibilant, making the sound, as Ernest Hemingway wrote, of ripping silk.

Oct 20, 2024 | birdnote.org | Jason McCue |Todd Peterson

BirdNote®Cedar Waxwings - Sleek and HandsomeWritten by Todd PetersonThis is BirdNote![Calls of Cedar Waxwings]If you examine closely the colors, shades, and adornments of Cedar Waxwings, these sleek and handsome foragers may become your favorite bird. Cedar Waxwings display a wealth of eye-catching plumage, from a cinnamon-brown, back-swept crest to a black mask edged with white, and a bright yellow border on their tails.

Sep 26, 2024 | birdnote.org | Gerrit Vyn |Todd Peterson

BirdNote®Fairy-wrens Sing Secret Passwords to Their Unborn ChicksWritten by Todd PetersonThis is BirdNote. [Song and alarm calls of Superb Fairy-wren]It turns out some birds sing to their unhatched chicks. And for a good reason, too. By singing, Superb Fairy-wrens in Australia teach their embryonic chicks a secret code.