When summer temperatures rise, backyard birds can face life-threatening conditions inside their nesting boxes. The small wooden shelters might seem like they have plenty of insulation for ...

In honor of Earth Month—and Earth Day later this week—we’re celebrating the best way we know how: with a series of stories that are all about getting outside and getting your hands dirty to benefit ...

The male wood duck is one of the most beautiful birds on Earth. We’re lucky we can see them almost any day of the week, any time of the year, in Kathryn Albertson Park. They love to hang out under the ...

Chipping sparrows sail in to perch regularly on the uppermost twig of one in a clump of native eastern red cedars, always a little caterpillar or bug dangling from their beaks. Then they drop down ...

Q: A pair of bluebirds nested in one of our nest boxes this summer, and I'm wondering how summer heat affects the just-hatched young birds. Are they at risk? A: That extremely hot weather in mid-July ...

Many of our birds are cavity nesters, that is, they nest in holes in trees and fence posts. Woodpeckers can use their strong bills to chisel holes to create their own cavities. Many other birds, such ...

The Eastern bluebird faced extinction. Then, a couple from Brooklyn Center brought out the hammer, nails and plywood.

Cavity-nesting birds, like this black-cheeked woodpecker in Ecuador, rely on natural cavities, like the hole in this tree for nesting and reproductive success. (Daniel Karp, UC Davis) With an ...

Nesting season is behind us, and birdhouses — nest boxes — will be vacant until spring. Now is the time to clean the boxes of used nesting material, and to make any needed repairs. We will assume your ...