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Cornell Lab of Ornithology
@cornellbirds.bsky.social
2.4K followers 11 following 110 posts
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a world leader in the study, appreciation, and conservation of birds and biodiversity. birds.cornell.edu/home/
(White-breasted Nuthatch by Hannah Criswell / Macaulay Library)
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Cornell Lab of Ornithology @cornellbirds.bsky.social · Jan 24
Have we met? At the Cornell Lab of Ornithology we believe in the power of connecting people through a shared love of nature. Whether you’re bird-curious, a nature enthusiast, parent, educator, or anywhere in between, we’d love to have you as part of our flock. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDUi...
#BringBirdsBack Welcome to the Cornell Lab
YouTube video by Cornell Lab of Ornithology
www.youtube.com
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in New Jersey—well outside its normal range—in early December. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Chris Duffek for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A grayish-brown flycatcher perched on a vertical branch. The bird is holding a large green mantis in its bill. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Chris Duffek / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
December 9, 2025 at 12:00 PM
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Join us on December 15, 1:00 p.m. Eastern / 10:00 a.m. Pacific, for a live studio visit with artist and science illustrator Liz Clayton Fuller. See how Liz brings birds to life and come with your questions about scientific illustration and ornithological artwork! 🐦🖌️ Register here: bit.ly/LCFStudio
In the Studio with Liz Clayton Fuller
Ready to see how bird illustrations come to life? Register now and join us for a real-time studio visit with artist and science illustrator Liz Clayton Fuller, live!
dl.allaboutbirds.org
December 7, 2025 at 4:21 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
Our gift guide is here! Share this post if you need to drop a hint to you friends and family. Our guide has something for everyone on your list – the life-long learner, the action takers, the young birders and even has some free/DIY resources: www.birds.cornell.edu/home/shop-fo...
December 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
Dive into the hidden world of puffins in Maine! Clever underwater filming techniques bring you closer to these fascinating birds, revealing how they use their wings as flippers underwater to hunt fish. Watch the full episode from our Wild Birds Revealed series: hubs.la/Q03CnXG40
December 5, 2025 at 4:51 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
How do you define a raptor? Ultimately, the term isn’t very scientific. The kinds of birds we call “raptors” aren’t all closely related, but many definitions focus on the birds' feet! Raptors have some talented talons. Enjoy a quick overview in this article academy.allaboutbirds.org/all-about-ra...
All About Raptor Feet | Bird Academy
What defines a raptor? Some would say it's their feet! Learn about those talented talons and the raptors they belong to in this quick overview.
academy.allaboutbirds.org
December 4, 2025 at 4:26 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Florida in early December. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Gloria Markiewicz for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A charcoal gray waterbird with a red-and-yellow bill and red frontal shield. The bird is standing on land amongst short green vegetation. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Gloria Markiewicz / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
December 2, 2025 at 12:00 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Minnesota in early November. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Daniël Cronk for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A small brown-and-white songbird climbing up a tree trunk, against a blurred green background. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Daniël Cronk / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
November 25, 2025 at 12:00 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
Dabbling ducks are often spotted in the “tip up” position as they forage for food. It sounds silly, but learning to recognize ducks by their butts can be a real ID gamechanger! Pick up our ID tips for "tip up" ducks. Go further with Duck ID in our course, on sale this weekend: bit.ly/DuckCourse
November 21, 2025 at 11:40 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in British Columbia in early November. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Melissa Hafting for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A gray-and-white shorebird with a long, drooping bill and orange-yellow legs. The bird is perched on a dark gray rock in front of a blue-gray background. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Melissa Hafting / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
November 18, 2025 at 12:00 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
As winter rolls in we go gulling! Northern-nesting gull species flock south, rare visitors blow in from far-flung places, and big flocks congregate together. Rise the challenge of North American gull ID in our online course and save 30% this weekend! 🌊📣
academy.allaboutbirds.org/product/be-a...
November 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Florida in early November. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Cuneyt Yilmaz for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A gray, black, and white songbird grasping a thin woody stem. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Cuneyt Yilmaz / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
November 11, 2025 at 12:00 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
Gulls are great fun to watch, and learning to identify them is a delightful challenge. These widespread species can be a great place to start! Learn our gull ID tips and practice your skills in this quiz: academy.allaboutbirds.org/american-her...
Learn to ID American Herring Gull and Ring-billed Gull | Bird Academy
These two species of gull common within the U.S. and Canada can be difficult to tell apart! Learn what to look for and practice your identification skills with key ID tips and a replayable quiz.
academy.allaboutbirds.org
November 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
Ever felt the magic of Merlin? From spotting new birds to learning their songs, Merlin connects millions worldwide. What started as an idea in 2008 at Cornell Lab is now a global movement uniting people with birds, one sighting at a time. Full story: www.birds.cornell.edu/home/the-mag...
Image description: Timeline with various photos of people looking at or holing up their phones in nature. Text reads: The making of Merlin. 2008 Idea for a digital bird ID tool was sparked after noticing lots of people searching descriptive queries like “yellow bird black cap” on our All About Birds website. 2009 Received a National Science Foundation grant to develop a 20-questions-style game that uses machine learning to identify bird species. 2010 eBird improves machine learning by providing detailed location and date info with bird photos and sounds from the Macaulay Library. 2014 App launches with ability to identify 285 species (can ID over 11,000 today). 2021 Sound ID launched thanks to user submitted sounds & 350+ experts annotating thousands upon thousands of spectrograms. 2025 Over 30 million downloads & 540 million bird songs identified.
November 5, 2025 at 4:45 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in California in November 2023. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Barbara Wise for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A small songbird perched on a deciduous branch, with a gray sky and orange leaves in the background. The bird is light gray with a black face and yellow breast. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Barbara Wise / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
November 4, 2025 at 12:00 PM
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For 40+ years, evolutionary ecologist Craig Benkman has tracked crossbills across North America—showing how these finches & conifers evolved together in a remarkable coevolutionary dance. 🌲🕊️
Their bill shapes even match the cones they feed on.
Full story: www.allaboutbirds.org/news/craig-b...
November 3, 2025 at 7:51 PM
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Bird Academy is sharing the spooky spirit with some frighteningly good deals on our courses. 🎃 academy.allaboutbirds.org/learn-more-a... Discover the incredible intelligence of crows, and learn how owls rule their nighttime niche! Save up to 40% before Nov 3.
Special October Sale! Owls and Crows | Bird Academy
Learn more about captivating, sometimes spooky birds like owls and crows this season with a self-paced, online course. Explore the rich details of the lifestyles, diversity, and biology of owls and crows at a special low price!
academy.allaboutbirds.org
October 31, 2025 at 6:08 PM
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BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed along the New York coast in early October 2021. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to John Gluth for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A shorebird flying over blue-and-white ocean waters. The bird has brownish upperparts and a long, downcurved bill. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © John Gluth / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
October 28, 2025 at 11:00 AM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Montana in October. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Dottie Herring for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A brown-and-gray bird standing on green grass. The bird has a large red streak extending down from the base of its bill and extensive black barring on its brown upperparts. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Dottie Herring / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
October 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
It's no wonder American Crows and Common Ravens are commonly confused for each other. Sound is the easiest way to tell these birds apart, but you may not always be able to listen. Pick up our tips for visual hints and test your skills with a replayable quiz:
academy.allaboutbirds.org/crows-and-ra...
American Crows and Common Ravens | Bird Academy • The Cornell Lab
Can you tell the difference between an American Crow and a Common Raven? Pick up the subtle differences with key identification tips, then test your skills with this fun quiz from Bird Academy.
academy.allaboutbirds.org
October 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed with a flock of European Starlings in Virginia in October 2022. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Jen Davis for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A hawk viewed from below against a blue sky, surrounded by seven European Starlings. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Jen Davis / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
October 7, 2025 at 11:00 AM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
Gulls can be a puzzle—but we’ve got the guide to help!🧩 Download our free Gull ID Cheat Sheet, designed to help you quickly compare 24 gull species commonly found in the U.S. and Canada. Printable and easy to use wherever your birding takes you. dl.allaboutbirds.org/downloadable...
A Gull ID Guide to Print at Home!
From hooded to white-headed, medium to large—discover 25 species of North American gulls and learn how they match up!
dl.allaboutbirds.org
October 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Colorado in mid-September. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Hannah Criswell for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.
[Image description: A gray-and-blue songbird perched at the tip of a broken-off branch. The bird is set against a vibrant yellow background. Text on image: Mystery Bird, Avis ignota, © Hannah Criswell / Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab.]
September 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM
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We’ve only crossed the “billion” threshold 1X before, in Oct. 23'. Last night, we rejoined the Billion Bird Night Club in spectacular fashion. Migration soared past 1.2 billion, marking the largest single night of bird migration ever recorded by BirdCast. Learn more: birdcast.info/news/a-new-r...
A new record night of migration for BirdCast!
Migration intensity goes off the charts, again, with a new record night of migration intensity for BirdCast!
birdcast.info
September 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
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In the final episode of Wild Bird Revealed we’re going on a deep dive into an Atlantic Puffin colony. Watch the full episode: hubs.la/Q03CnXG40 to see slow-motion footage of these seabirds catching fish underwater and flying through the air, their bills full of fish.
September 26, 2025 at 1:00 PM
cornellbirds.bsky.social
Migration Alert: Over 470 million birds are forecast to fly across the eastern Midwest tonight. Turn off all nonessential lights from 11 PM to 6 AM to keep them from becoming disoriented. More than a 1B birds die in glass collisions every year. Discover ways to help them: bit.ly/stopbirdcoll...
September 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM