Songbird Prairie Bed and Breakfast

This Saturday, Make "Your" Birds a Part of October Big Day

Following on the heels of May's spectacularly successful Global Big Day, we're inviting the world to be part of the first-ever October Big Day. No matter where you live, this month is a great time to get outside, find birds, and record them in eBird. From springtime in South America to autumn in China, let’s see what we can find together on the first October Big Day!

Tips for Using eBird: Try our brand-new, free course to
learn basics and handy pro-tips for eBird—the online listing program that's changing the world of bird watching and conservation. Check out eBird Essentials.

4 Billion Birds Will Fly Over North America This Fall

For the first time ever we have an idea of just how busy the skies are at this time of year. Most birds migrate at night, out of sight and beyond earshot. To count these enormous flights, Cornell Lab scientists used weather radar and big data analyses. Their estimates also give us an idea of the birds' overall survival rates. Read more about this cutting-edge research.

Which Species Is This?

Our mystery bird this month is a chunky little songbird colored like a caramel sundae. It's the only songbird that breeds exclusively in Canada, and at this time of year it heads down to the southern Great Plains, though it has a habit of wandering and has turned up in every state in the Lower 48. Do you know which species this is? Check your answer and learn more

Enjoy Feeder Birds With Project FeederWatch: Keep an eye out for our handsome quiz bird at backyard feeders. And while you're at it, why not join Project FeederWatch and tell us what's visiting your backyard? It makes feeding birds more fun, and it helps scientists.

It's not often that a sparrow takes center stage, but the Harris's Sparrow is a showstopper with its handsome black bib and pink bill. It’s North America's largest sparrow and the only songbird that breeds in Canada and nowhere else in the world. In winter it settles in the south-central Great Plains, where it is a backyard favorite. Unfortunately, Harris's Sparrow populations are declining; its restricted range make it vulnerable to habitat loss on the wintering and breeding grounds.

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