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John Gould may have been the “Bird Man,” but Elizabeth Gould was the Bird Artist
It is an acknowledged truth that a single taxidermist must be in want of a wife—preferably one skilled with a pencil and brush. This, at least, seems to have been the case for John Gould, a preserver of animals and aspiring naturalist who was working at the Zoological Society of London in the late 1820s……
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Meet the pandemic birders
When the pandemic hit, we were all forced inside—which made some of us desperate to spend time outside. Many people turned to the refuge of their local green spaces to safely breathe fresh air and escape the confines of small living spaces. (While visitors to US National Parks took a big dip in 2020 when……
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Want to protect birds? Ban pesticides.
The Bobolinks were disappearing. In 2013 the scientific journal PLOS ONE published a peer-reviewed study showing how insecticides and the decline of grasslands had a deadly effect on birds in Europe and North America, including the once-common Bobolink in New England. “They are one of these species that goes down to the large grasslands in……
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The dangers of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for wild birds
When it comes to caring for wild birds, the type of bird seed you choose can have a significant impact on their health. Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides used in conventional bird seed can be hazardous to wildlife, while organic bird seed is grown in accordance with organic standards and is free of these toxic chemicals,……
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Organic bird seed: The benefits of a natural choice for wild birds
When it comes to feeding wild birds, one of the most important factors to consider is the type of bird seed you use. Conventional bird seed is grown using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals, which can be harmful to wildlife. Organic bird seed (such as the premium organic bird seed from Flying Colors), on……
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How birding connects to mindfulness
Whitney Falk, Flying Colors cofounder, ZZ Driggs cofounder and CEO I come from a family of birders, and for much of my life I have taken part in refilling feeders and trays of seeds, nuts, and berries in order to connect with and witness the flying colors that surround us. My birding practice started with……
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The fascinating tech behind Merlin, the bird ID app
On a walk through the streets of Austin, Texas, I opened the Merlin Bird ID app. I clicked Sound ID, record, then held my phone above my head, pointed toward a tree packed with dozens of loud, whistling birds. The app showed me a spectogram—a horizontal visualization of the sounds I was hearing that looks……
