Making your own bird egg incubator can be a fun and rewarding experience. incubation allows you to hatch eggs and raise baby birds in a controlled environment. With some basic materials and proper technique, you can successfully incubate bird eggs at home. Incubating bird eggs requires providing consistent warmth, humidity, ventilation, and egg turning. While commercial incubators offer pre-calibrated settings, a homemade incubator requires close monitoring and adjustments to recreate ideal hatching conditions. This guide will walk through the essential steps for how to make a basic bird egg incubator at home. We will cover how to: Choose an appropriate…
Author: Maya Brodwin
Chelating agents are substances that can form multiple bonds with metal ions. They are used to treat metal poisoning in both humans and animals, including birds. Metal toxicity is a common problem faced by pet birds and wild birds, especially those living in urban environments. Sources of toxic metal exposure include lead paint, zinc coated aviary wire, metal jewelry, and environmental pollution. Chelating agents work by binding to metals and enhancing their excretion from the body. This prevents the heavy metals from accumulating and causing health issues. Some common chelating agents used in avian medicine include calcium EDTA, dimercaprol, and…
Cassin’s Auklet is a small seabird found along the Pacific coast of North America. They are known for their unique diet, feeding primarily on plankton and small crustaceans. In this article, we will explore what Cassin’s Auklet eats and how their diet helps them survive in their marine environment. Zooplankton The main component of a Cassin’s Auklet’s diet is zooplankton. Zooplankton are tiny marine animals that drift along ocean currents. Some common zooplankton that Cassin’s Auklets eat include: Krill – shrimp-like crustaceans Copepods – small floating crustaceans Amphipods – small shrimp-like crustaceans Pteropods – swimming snails Larvaceans – gelatinous zooplankton…
Steller’s jays (Cyanocitta stelleri) are intelligent, adaptable birds that thrive in coniferous forests across western North America. As temperatures drop and winter sets in, Steller’s jays undergo behavioral and physiological changes to survive the cold months. Do Steller jays migrate for winter? No, Steller’s jays do not migrate for the winter. They are permanent residents throughout their range, which extends along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Central America. While some individual jays may wander outside their normal territory in search of food, the species does not undertake any major migratory journeys. How do Steller jays survive cold winters? Steller’s…
The Northern Hawk Owl is a fascinating bird that has features of both owls and hawks, which leads many people to wonder whether it is more closely related to one group or the other. In this article, we’ll take a close look at the Northern Hawk Owl’s anatomy, behavior, and taxonomy to better understand where it fits in the avian family tree. Anatomy Let’s start by comparing the physical characteristics of the Northern Hawk Owl to typical owls and hawks: Feature Northern Hawk Owl Typical Owl Typical Hawk Eyes Yellow, front-facing Large, front-facing Smaller, side-facing Beak Hooked Hooked Hooked Wings…
Common sense is defined as sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts. It involves basic problem solving and reasoning skills that most people are expected to have. The question of whether common sense is something we are born with or something we develop through life experiences has been debated for centuries by philosophers, psychologists and scientists. While a definitive answer remains elusive, research suggests that common sense likely involves both innate and learned components. What is common sense? Common sense encompasses a variety of basic cognitive skills and abilities that allow us to…
The Brown Creeper is a small songbird found throughout North America. With its cryptic brown plumage and habit of creeping up tree trunks, it can be tricky to spot. But are Brown Creepers actually common birds? Let’s take a look at some quick facts about the Brown Creeper’s population, range, habitat preferences, and conservation status to get a better understanding of how prevalent this species is. Quick Facts – There are estimated to be around 6.8 million Brown Creepers in North America. So while not as numerous as birds like American Robins, they are still fairly common. – Brown Creepers…
There are a few possible reasons why birds might peck or tap on windows: Looking for food Birds may see their reflection in a window and think it’s another bird that might have food. The bird will peck at the glass trying to get the other “bird’s” attention and access any food it might have. This is more likely to happen in springtime when birds are more territorial and during migration seasons when food is scarcer. Defending territory A bird that sees its reflection may think it’s an intruder in its territory. It will peck aggressively at the window to…
The prairie falcon is a medium-sized falcon native to western North America. Known for its speed and agility in flight, the prairie falcon is able to reach very high speeds when diving after prey. But just how fast can prairie falcons fly in level flight? In this article, we’ll take a look at prairie falcon flight speeds and the factors that allow this falcon to fly so swiftly. Typical Flight Speeds Prairie falcons are fast fliers capable of reaching speeds over 100 mph (160 km/h) when diving. However, in straight, level flight their speeds are somewhat slower. Some key flight…
Bird migration is a phenomenon that occurs twice a year as birds move between their breeding grounds and their overwintering grounds. There are many bird species that migrate, including songbirds, waterfowl, raptors, and shorebirds. Some birds migrate from the Arctic down to South America, while others migrate shorter distances between the northern and southern parts of North America. Tracking bird migration helps scientists understand the timing, routes, and population sizes of different species. It also helps birdwatchers know when they can expect to see certain species passing through their area. In recent years, bird migration apps have become popular tools…