Articles
75 posts
Shorebird Identification for Beginners
A beginner's method for identifying shorebird species by relative size, structure, bill, legs, plumage and behavior, including busy mudflat flocks.
Birds of a Feather: Sage-Grouse, Sagebrush Songbirds and Shared Habitat
How intact sagebrush habitat links greater sage-grouse and sagebrush songbirds, what recent research summaries indicate, and what still needs checking.
Reading wildlife tracks in prairie landscapes
A field-reference approach to identifying wildlife tracks on the northern prairie: footprint shape, gait, trail context and sign, and how to keep uncertain identifications honest.
Identifying Ducks at a Distance and in Flight
Where to find the Ducks at a Distance waterfowl guide as a PDF, what it covers, and how size, shape, flight and plumage help you name distant ducks.
Access Considerations for Birding Locations
A planning framework for checking whether a prairie, grassland or wetland birding location suits your access needs, covering surfaces, facilities, seating and sensory conditions to verify before you go.
Get to Know Your Sparrows a Little More Closely: House Sparrow Field Marks and the Tree Sparrow Question
Identify an adult male House Sparrow by its gray crown, black bib, chestnut nape and white cheeks, and learn why a tree sparrow comparison needs a closer read.
Choosing Binoculars for Birdwatching
How to choose binoculars for birdwatching on the prairie: what 7x and 8x magnification mean, how to read binocular numbers, and which specs to check before buying.
Binoculars or a Spotting Scope for Birdwatching?
Binoculars or a spotting scope? Binoculars find and follow birds; a scope adds the magnification to study distant, stationary birds in open country and wetlands.
A Wilder View: How Birds Survive Montana's Cold Winters
What the available material says about how birds survive Montana's cold winters, what remains unverified, and how to watch winter birds patiently and responsibly.
Birdwatching in Windy Weather
What happens to birds on windy days, where they tend to shelter, how wind direction relates to migration watching, and where the evidence runs thin.