Rebecca Stephenson

Situated pretty much right in the middle of the United States, Missouri is a surprisingly bird-rich state. It features a variety of habitats, including grasslands, tallgrass prairies, wetlands, and several types of forests, creating perfect homes for over 400 North American bird species, with northern, southern, eastern, and western species all converging here. It’s also […]

New Mexico is an absolute wonderland for birding! With its southern border touching the deserts of Mexico and its northern border hitting Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, it’s a confluence for both exciting tropical southern species, like Elegant Trogons, and temperate northwestern species like Western Tanagers. Likewise, birds of the Great Plains frequently enter the state by

If you live in western North America, you’ve almost certainly encountered this sprightly red-headed bird climbing around on the thick tree trunks of coastal and mountain forests – or perhaps seen the characteristic parallel rows of tiny holes of its sap wells in deciduous trees. The Red-breasted Sapsucker is the Pacific coast’s version of the

The Arizona Woodpecker is aptly named, as, if you are living in North America, that’s where you are most likely to see one – if you even see one at all. Unlike their rowdier counterparts, these medium-sized woodpeckers are somewhat quiet and elusive, especially outside of the breeding season. Arizona Woodpeckers prefer life at middle

In North America, the Rufous Hummingbird easily wins first prize in the “tiny but mighty” category. While they are one of the smallest birds to visit the Northern Hemisphere, they also happen to be one of the most aggressive – anyone who has hung a nectar feeder quickly learns that the resident Rufous Hummingbird calls

The Spix’s Macaw is currently the rarest parrot in the world – but hopefully, that will change in the coming years! This unusual species, known for its petite size and vibrant two-toned blue plumage, is so alluring that it was nearly driven to extinction first by specimen collectors and later by habitat destruction and poaching

The Pileated Woodpecker is probably the most thrilling bird you can encounter in a daytime forest in North America. Now the third largest woodpecker in the world – following the likely extinction of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker – they are distinctive for their fiery red crests, loud drumming performances, and the massive holes they leave in

Few North American birds inspire the mix of hope, sadness, and awe quite like the magnificent Ivory-billed Woodpecker, which once inspired people to yell out “Lord God, what a bird!” when it flew overhead – a sight that most of us will never get the chance to see. To talk about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is

Eastern Screech Owls are incredibly common throughout their range but due to their small size and excellent camouflage abilities, you’ve probably never seen one! If you live anywhere near trees in eastern North America, you’ve likely heard one, though. In folklore, people thought the descending whinnying call of the Eastern Screech Owl sounded like a

Short-eared Owls are one of the world’s most widespread owl species – right up there with the Barn Owl! They are also the most likely owl to be seen in the daytime, besides fully diurnal species like the Burrowing Owl. Short-eared Owls are a little pickier when it comes to habitat, though, so you have