Better Know a Bird

Chuck-will's-widows Sometimes Swallow Songbirds Whole, Apparently?
April 21, 2020 — A handful of scientific records make this one of the few things researchers know about these mysterious, big-mouthed nightjars.
Better Know a Bird: How Harris’s Hawks Hunt Like Wolves to Bring Down Prey
March 05, 2019 — Teaming up helps these agile raptors take on animals twice their size. But we’re still not sure why they stand on each other.
Better Know a Bird: The American Coot and Its Wonderfully Weird Feet
August 13, 2018 — The odd-looking foot is perfectly built for getting around on land or water. It's not bad for a little wrestling, either.
Better Know a Bird: The Wild and Kinky Mating Rituals of the Crested Auklet
June 26, 2017 — These quirky birds spend their summers decked out in fluorescent bill plates, extravagant headdresses, and tangerine perfume—and they pass the time with rambunctious sex parties.
Better Know a Bird: The Clark's Nutcracker and Its Obsessive Seed Hoarding
November 08, 2016 — Hiding away tens of thousands of pine seeds every year makes the nutcracker a prolific natural forester.