Familiar birds.
Unexpected stories.

Loud neighbor. Forest planter.

In a study in Blacksburg, Virginia, Blue Jays carried away and cached 133,000 acorns from a stand of pin oaks, about 54% of that stand’s crop. Researchers also found oak seedlings at caching sites.

Food storage can double as seed dispersal. These numbers describe one study, not what every jay or neighborhood does.

That call carries a warning.

Researchers studied eight Carolina Chickadee flocks across 64 predator presentations. The calls contained more “dee” notes when birds faced smaller predators that posed a greater threat.

Playback experiments also showed stronger responses to calls previously made around a small predator. The familiar call can convey information about danger, rather than simply announce that something is nearby.

The homepage portrait shows a Black-capped Chickadee. This particular study examined Carolina Chickadees.

A chimney becomes a night address.

Chimney Swifts gather in large groups at communal roosts. Researchers reconstructed their three-dimensional flight paths as birds approached a chimney, examining how nearby neighbors shaped their movement.

On a migration evening, a swirl of birds above a chimney may be a roost gathering. Observe from a distance and leave active roosts undisturbed.

Make glass visible.

Reflected trees and sky can disguise glass. Exterior treatments across the full pane help make the obstacle visible. Use a bird-safe treatment and follow its spacing and installation instructions.

A clean feeder is part of feeding.

Discard wet or moldy seed, clean feeders regularly, and keep the ground beneath them clear of accumulated waste. Follow wildlife guidance if sick birds appear.