The Cornell Lab of Ornithology bestowed its prestigious Arthur A. Allen Award for 2013 to Dr. Robert Ridgely, at a ceremony May 14 at the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library. The award, named for Cornell Lab founder Arthur Allen, was established in 1967 to honor those who have made significant contributions to ornithology by making it [...]
They’re a couple of weeks later than last year, but the Great Blue Herons of Sapsucker Woods have returned to their nest outside our offices. The male from past years (recognizable by the missing rear toe on his right foot) was first spotted on April 4, and on April 8 a female joined him on the [...]
Our third annual March Migration Madness tournament kicked off on Tuesday, March 12, when the Whooping Crane faced off against the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. After more than 2,700 total votes, the crane stretched its long legs and walked away with the victory. It will reappear in Round 2 against the winner of the American Kestrel vs. [...]
Are you going to be counting birds in the Great Backyard Bird Count this year? We hope so—it’s a fun and free event that tens of thousands of people share in each year, submitting more than 100,000 checklists over the Presidents’ Day weekend. The data create a snapshot of bird populations across North America (and [...]
The Cornell Lab’s Macaulay Library is the world’s largest and oldest archive of natural sounds and video, and you can browse its holdings online. Though it’s best known for its bird recordings, the Macaulay Library also features insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals—including a recent addition: gibbons recorded in the wild in Thailand. They’re the [...]
The new National Geographic documentary chronicling the Birds-of-Paradise Project will air on Thanksgiving evening at 10 P.M. Eastern time, perfect timing for post-turkey viewing. (The documentary is also available on DVD.) Staff writer Pat Leonard took an early look and has this review for you: Scientific discovery is thrilling—but sometimes difficult and messy, too. Nowhere is [...]
How can we make life easier for birds in our neighborhoods? That’s the question behind the latest seasonal challenge from Celebrate Urban Birds. This Cornell Lab of Ornithology citizen-scence project focuses on birds in urban settings and how they benefit from green spaces created by humans. Enter by December 15, 2012, and you could win a [...]
As Project FeederWatch gets under way for its 26th season, we’re celebrating with a new photo contest sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods. The contest features weekly prizes for the photo that receives the most votes on the contest page in Facebook. At the end of FeederWatch season, we’ll hold a vote to [...]
At an event in Washington, DC, this weekend, Cornell Lab directors presented a set of short, crisp, exciting talks about the work that we do. They’re a great introduction to the kinds of exciting research, conservation, and outreach that consume our lives. Lab director John Fitzpatrick kicked things off with his argument that birds really [...]
