Iowa Young Birders and Backpacks

Tyler Harms, Executive Director of Iowa Young Birders, met with Loess Hills Audubon board members Kari Sandage and Marla Kerr at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center (DPNC) on Monday, November 4, 2025. Iowa Young Birders has donated 5 pairs of binoculars to the Loess Hills Audubon Society. This provides a second pair of binoculars in each of the five birding backpacks that we distributed earlier this year (scroll down this page for the story).

The five birding backpacks were made possible by a Mildred Anderson Community Grant from the Junior League of Sioux City. Birding backpacks are available for loan at DPNC, Sioux City Public Library, or Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve.

Thank you Iowa Young Birders for your generous donation!

Marla K.

City of Sioux City Health Fair

Thursday, 17 October 2024

What a day with some marvelous interactions! Marla and Randy greeted 110 fair goers at the City of Sioux City Health Fair at the Seaboard Triumph Expo Center. Fair goers registered for a Tanager Drip: A Migratory Trip bag of ground coffee door prize. A second bag of Tanager Drip was contributed to the communal door prizes gathered by the organizers of the event. Many Siouxland Bird Guides were distributed.

Library Open House

Aalfs, Downtown Library, Saturday 5 October

Thank you to the Sioux City Public Library for inviting Loess Hills Audubon to their recent open house. Pam S. and friends greeted at least 26 adults and 35 children and talked about LHAS activities and presentations. Birding Backpacks were a hot topic of discussion! Backpacks are available for loan at the downtown library, Adams Homestead and Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center.

Fall Ornithology Meetings

Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Fall Meeting: was in Oskaloosa, IA on 23 August 2024.

Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Fall Meeting: September 20 - 22, 2024 at McCook, NE.

South Dakota Ornithologists’ Union Fall Meeting: September 27 at Spearfish, SD.

Missouri River Outdoor Expo

On Friday, September 20th, over 600 5th graders will be attending the Invitational School Day event. Thirty-six (36) different classrooms will be visiting stations manned by volunteers that exhibit nature oriented activities.

I will be hosting four such classrooms in my Binoculars and Birds presentations. 

Public Days will be open on Sept. 21-22 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, both days. A state park entry permit is required upon entry and can be purchased online or at the gate entrance.

Bill H., South Sioux City, NE

Swift Watch

Tuesday, September 10th at 7:00 PM

Please plan for a Chimney Swift Watch on Tuesday, September 10th at 7:00 PM. I recently discovered a nearby Chimney Swift roost. I and others from the USD biology department are hosting a small gathering of swift watchers. I don't intend to file for a permit with the city to close streets or anything, so I'm hoping to keep the event fairly small this time around. If it goes well, next year I will try to get Greening Vermillion involved, and maybe y'all could have a Loess Hills Audubon Society table set up or something.

If a few folks from the area are interested in coming up they are welcome to, but I think we will just be standing on the sidewalk outside Vermillion City Hall. For more information, please email J. Murphy.

J Murphy, Vermillion, SD

20th Annual Nature Calls

Saturday, 21 September 2024, 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Sioux City Convention Center

More than 70 brews will be available for tasting at this benefit for the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. There will be craft brews, select wines, hors d’oeuvers, nature market vendors, cash raffles and a charity auction.

$50.00 Advance tickets only! Purchase online or call 712 258 0838. Ticket sales close at 11:59 PM on Friday, 20 September 2024.

Conservation Conversations with Michael Forsberg and the Crane Trust

5:00pm - 7:30pm, September 19, 2024

at The Durham Museum, 801 S 10th St, Omaha, Nebraska

For 30 years, acclaimed photographer and Nebraska native Michael Forsberg has captured the Great Plains through a camera lens, sharing a unique perspective of what was once one of Earth’s greatest grassland ecosystems. Through captivating images from his work, Forsberg will share with guests his lifelong journey following North America’s cranes up and down the Central Flyway and the ever-changing water resources of the region.

This conversation will be moderated by Amy Sandeen, the Outreach and Special Events Manager with Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center in Wood River, Nebraska.

Admission: These events are FREE for museum members; regular admissions applies for non-members ($15 adults, $12 seniors/veterans, $8 kids 3-12). Registration required.

About Michael Forsberg, featured speaker
Michael is a conservation photographer, author and educator who focuses on wildlife, grasslands and watersheds across North America’s Great Plains. A Senior Fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers, in 2017 Michael received the Sierra Club’s Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography and the Environmental Impact Award from the North American Nature Photographers Association. His photos have appeared in National Geographic, Audubon, Nature Conservancy and Sierra magazines. Michael lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Backyard Bird Feeders

Okay, these are not the most elegant kinds of feeders, but I improvised a bit because I found the sparrows and other feathered friends who want to remain anonymous were "wasting" bird seed by chucking the seeds aside as they ate at the actual feeders.

I had put up the posts this spring and removed the metal posts with feeders attached. I then purchased open tray feeders that have plastic covered wire mesh which will help keeping it from rusting and also lets the rain fall through somewhat helping the seeds not becoming water logged. It took about 4-6 months and then the birds began feeling more comfortable with the change of feeders. I installed three of these.

Later I noticed the waste from the normal kinds of feeders so then got a couple more of the open tray feeders and placed them below. The bird seed cast off by the picky eaters fell into the trays below and after a month or so the birds felt comfortable and began eating out of those as well, and I noticed my waste amount of seed diminished.

Some days I have counted between 20-30 House Sparrows and 6-10 Mourning Doves, along with Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, House Finches and some nuthatches with the occasional Black-capped Chickadee tossed in for good measure. Nothing exotic, but am hopeful come migration seasons again that maybe the new arrangement will attract some of those passing birds I only see once, maybe twice a year in my backyard.

Jerry M., Sioux City, IA https://lostinsiouxland.wordpress.com/ or https://www.jerrylmennengaphotographer.com/

Becoming A Bird Friendly City

On Wednesday, July 10th, Loess Hills Audubon Society President, Marla Kerr, described to 22 attendees what was required for Sioux City to become designated as a Bird Friendly City. This was part of the Sioux City Public Library’s Read. Renew. Repeat. Adult Summer Reading Program.

Marla described the efforts made by the Loess Hills Audubon Society and partners (see below) to obtain the designation of Bird Friendly City for the City of Sioux City. Marla also shared information about current threats to birds and simple actions anyone can take to help protect them and enhance their habitat. She also highlighted citizen science aspects of data collection, bird watching tips, smartphone birding applications, and book recommendations.

Sioux City is now part of the Bird City Network! Have a look at: https://birdcity.org/iowa. Thank you to everyone who worked on this project to obtain this designation for our city! Thank you to our partners in this project: Iowa Audubon, Trees Forever, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa Department of Natural Resources – Wildlife Bureau, Iowa Wildlife Center, Iowa Ornithologists’ Union, the Iowa County Conservation System, The Nature Conservancy of Iowa, Loess Hills Wild Ones, Northwest Iowa Group of Sierra Club, the Woodbury County Conservation Board, the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, the City of Sioux City Parks and Recreation, and the City of Sioux City Environmental Advisory Board.

Bird City Webinar – Protect Insects, Protect Birds!

Tuesday July 16th, 2024

Exciting news! With Bird City Network (of which we are part) we are planning our first webinar exclusively for community leaders and teams from all Bird City programs.

You are invited! Please share with your other team members.

Birds need insects! This webinar will provide understanding and practical guidance on how to work towards reducing pesticides in your community as well as examples of successes to inspire you. Spanish translation will be available if needed! We hope to see you there!

REGISTER HERE!

In this webinar, you’ll join other community leaders to learn from experts including at American Bird Conservancy and the Xerces Society:

• Hardy Kern, Director of Government Relations, Birds and Pesticides Campaign, American Bird Conservancy

• Laura Rost, National Coordinator, Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

WEBINAR: How to reduce pesticides in your community

WHEN: Tuesday July 16th, 2024 at 4 pm ET | 3 pm CT | 2 pm MT | 1 pm PT

WHERE: Zoom (link provided upon registration)

COST: Free!

Please also sign-up for Bird City Network eNews for periodic updates and learning opportunities!

PS. If you can't make the webinar live, RSVP now and we'll send you a recording to enjoy when the time is right for you!

Bird Sounds at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center 24/7!

The Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center recently received a Memorial donation of a Haikubox. This device records the calls and songs of birds outdoors. Becky Williams donated this in honor of her brother, David Price. Visitors can see and hear the birds the Haikubox has recorded at the following website: https://birds.haikubox.com/listen/3485189CB8F0 or get the Haikubox App and search for Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center. The recordings are shared with Cornell University of Ornithology and help track the species in our area.

Birding Backpacks Available to Borrow

The Loess Hills Audubon Society wants to share the love of birding and encourage families to enjoy the outdoors together.

To this end, Loess Hills Audubon is donating birding backpacks to the Sioux City Public Library, the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, and the Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve. The funds for this project were made possible by a generous Mildred Anderson Community Grant of $900 from the Junior League of Sioux City.

The backpacks will include one set of binoculars, a bird identification book, and local bird guides. The backpacks will be available for checkout at these three locations after Wednesday, June 19, 2024. The packs are free to use and can be checked out during the open hours of each location. A second set of binoculars will be added to the backpacks at a later date courtesy of the Iowa Young Birders Group.

The Loess Hills Audubon Society exists to educate individuals and the general public, to enjoy and promote birding, to support ornithology, and to be an advocate for wild areas and environmental issues.

For more information on birding activities, contact the Loess Hills Audubon Society at www.loesshillsaudubonsociety.org or search Loess Hills Audubon Society on Facebook.

Thank you to everyone who worked towards the fulfillment of this project. Loess Hills Audubon plans to have more backpacks available at other locations.

Sioux City Public Library

Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center

Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve

Introduction to National Audubon, Loess Hills Audubon, and Siouxland Birding

To coincide with the launch of the birding backpacks, Randy Williams presented an Introduction to National Audubon, Loess Hills Audubon and Siouxland Birding at the Sioux City Public Library at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, 19 June 2024. This was part of the library’s Read. Renew. Repeat. Adult Summer Reading Program. The presentation was well attended by 37 birders or (hopefully) soon-to-become birders.

The availability of the birding backpacks for checkout from the library, Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, and Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve was announced during his program. He also announced that the City of Sioux City is now designated as a Bird Friendly City (Iowa), part of the Bird City Network! Have a look at: https://birdcity.org/iowa. Thank you to everyone who worked on this project to obtain this designation for our city!

Wednesday, July 10 - 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM

at the Aalfs Downtown Library

Join us to learn about the efforts the Loess Hills Audubon Society made to obtain the designation of Bird Friendly City for the City of Sioux City. Marla Kerr, President of the Loess Hills Audubon Society, will also share information about the current threats to birds and simple actions we can take to help protect them and enhance their habitat, citizen science aspects of data collection, bird watching tips, and birding app and book recommendations.

Research Participation

I'm a researcher with a research group at the University of Toronto in Canada. Our group studies how the brain changes as we learn about the natural world, and our current study is part of our wider project of connecting birding and citizen science activities with research on cognitive health and brain function.

I'm reaching out to see if you would share our short (approx.15-minutes) online study with your members. The study involves identification of different bird species, but is open to everyone regardless of birding background/experience. We are looking for participants from across Canada, the UK, and the US, and we're reaching out to birding-related groups directly. We thought your members might be interested in assisting with our research! I can send a follow up email with a graphic we've been sharing with other groups, if you would consider sharing it with your group. There's a link to the study as well as articles about this research (in Audubon Magazine, National Geographic, etc.) on our website, www.birdingstudies.com.

Happy to provide further details and answer any questions.

Many thanks, Isabel Cooke

Why 80 North American Birds Are Being Renamed

Post by Rhianna Quanstrom, Published on February 8, 2024

https://nestboxlive.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-aos-bird-renaming-project/

The above link was submitted by new Loess Hills Audubon Director Phil Breed. It provides a good explanation of the name evaluation process by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). The link and associated article provides a list of the species under consideration for renaming as well as an excellent summation of the renaming process.

Summer Break!

Loess Hills Audubon Society is taking a summer break for chapter members to be with their families, take interesting vacations, enjoy the outdoors, see some new sights, and return with some wonderful traveler’s tales! Chapter meetings return in September! Stay tuned!

THANK YOU to all of our presenters during this last season:

• September 2023 – Don Poggensee

• October 2023 – Tim Sesterhenn and Morningside University student research projects

• November 2023 – Rich Pope

• December 2023 – LHAS slide show and Holiday party

• January 2024 – Tyler Flammang

• February 2024 – Dave Swanson

• March 2024 – Dave Hoferer

• April 2024 – Jon Nylen / Leesa McNeil

• May 2024 – Phil Breed

Class Outing

I accompanied Prof. David Hoferer’s ornithology class on Thursday, April 25th. The plan was to bird at Owego, but I diverted the trip to The Square where we had some good sightings: Many Lesser Yellowlegs, many American Coots and Blue-Winged Teal. We found a Ring-billed Duck, a Northern Pintail, a Wilson’s Phalarope, a couple of Wilson’s Snipe, a Sora and an American Bittern, among others.

Rex R., Sioux City, IA

Junior League of Sioux City Grant

On Thursday, April 18, 2024, the Loess Hills Audubon Society received a $900 Mildred Anderson Grant from the Junior League of Sioux City. Marla Kerr, Bill Huser, and Randy Williams represented Loess Hills Audubon at the event in the RE/MAX City Centre.

This grant will be used in a pilot project to loan birding backpacks to patrons of Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve, the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, and the Sioux City Public Library. Each backpack will contain a field guide, binoculars, and supporting materials for individuals and families who wish to enjoy an introduction to birding.

If this pilot project is successful, then Loess Hills Audubon will consider expanding the program to other Siouxland venues.

Thank you to the Mildred Anderson grant fund, the Siouxland Community Foundation, and the Junior League of Sioux City for this grant!

2024 Siouxland Bird Guide

Thanks to the efforts of Seth Brooks and co-workers at Golden Hills RC&D, Loess Hills Audubon now has an updated Siouxland Bird Guide at long last! The guides are available at chapter meetings and at area nature centers and visitor centers.

The guide highlights the best birding areas within Siouxland and features an updated bird list, site list and an updated list of facilities at each site.

Thank you to the sponsors of the project and to everyone who helped make this update possible.

Wise OWLS

A snowy, windy February afternoon attracted seven OWLS and four Loess Hills Auduboners to Hillview Recreation Area near Hinton, IA. Pam M-S., Marla & Kevin K., and Randy W. met with Victoria D. and her Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors (OWLS) for a presentation on National Audubon, a brief history of Loess Hills Audubon, and an introduction to birding in and around Siouxland. It was a pleasure to meet, chat with, and introduce some wise OWLS to local birds, the art and science of birding, and our chapter.

Silent Success!

Loess Hills Audubon’s second silent auction was extraordinarily successful.

We surpassed all expectations and some very important thank you’s are in order:

• To Marla and Sharon and Pam for orchestrating this operation.

• To Northwest Iowa Group of Sierra Club for inviting us to have a fundraiser auction during their Chili Social and sharing their venue with us!

• Thank you to Jeanne B.!  Always a pleasure to work with on projects, and I appreciate her sharing her ideas and expertise.

• Thank you to Kevin, Sharon, John, Rex, Dotty, Bill and Jan for their help with the auction: unloading and loading the car, arranging and setting up the auction in the church, assisting our guests and accepting payments. Thank you all for supporting our efforts, for offering excellent suggestions and advice, for being easy to work with, and for your patience!

• Thank you to Pam, Maria, Sharon, and Marla for soliciting donations from local businesses!  

  • Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve

  • Council Oaks Coffee Supply Company

  • Earl May Garden Center on Gordon Drive, Sheryl Schelm, Manager

  • Earl May Garden Center on War Eagle Drive, Shawn Emge, Manager

  • The Feed Shed, South Sioux City, NE

  • GNC on Hamilton Boulevard, Holly Cunningham, Manager

  • Gunderson's Jewelers, Sioux City, IA

  • Staples, Sioux City, IA

  • Wellness Works, Jeanne Thune, LMT

And, thank you to everyone who came for the chili social to support Northwest Iowa Sierra Club and also supported the Loess Hills Audubon Society.

Introduction to Audubon

On Wednesday, 8 November Loess Hills Audubon Society members Pam Miller-Smith, Marla Kerr, and Randy Williams were invited to the Senior Ministry Group and lunch at Morningside Lutheran Church, 700 S Martha ST, Sioux City.

Loess Hills Audubon displays and membership information were arranged. Marla and Pam mingled with members of the group and conversed about birds, our display, available literature, and chapter activities. Following a wonderful Thanksgiving lunch Randy presented a 30-minute PowerPoint program reviewing the history of the National Audubon Society, the Sioux City Bird Club and Loess Hills Audubon, discussed the various aspects of birding, reviewed recent and upcoming Loess Hills Audubon projects, and provided a quick overview of local birding hotspots Adams Homestead, Bacon Creek and Crystal Cove. There were 52 ministry group members in attendance.

Outreach Events

Thursday, 26 October and Friday, 27 October 2023

Loess Hills Audubon (LHAS) members participated in two community outreach events. Thank you to the organizers of the Health and Wellness Fair for the City of Sioux City for allowing us to participate along with representatives from the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center (DPNC) on Thursday, 26 September at the Seaboard Triumph Foods Event Center. LHAS representative spoke with 120 City of Sioux City employees regarding our activities.

Thank you, too, to the people and groups who provided the items for the LHAS door prize!

Top Row, left to right: LHAS display table; LHAS door prize (thank you to our providers!); Kari and Mariah from DPNC and Marla from LHAS.

Bottom Row, left to right: Kari, Mariah and Marla at the DPNC table; Randy and Maria at the LHAS table; Maria, Jeri and Randy at the LHAS table.

Then, on Friday, 27 October Loess Hills Audubon and Northwest Iowa Sierra Group members participated in Friendraising activities at Siouxland Public Media, KWIT-KOJI during the regular broadcast of Science Friday.

Thank you to KWIT-KJOI for having us on air. Thank you to Jeanne Bockholt (LHAS and Sierra Club), Marla Kerr (LHAS), Rex Rundquist (LHAS and Sierra Club), and Randy Williams (LHAS) for your time to assist KWIT-KJOI Friendraising.

Plymouth County Historical Museum and Regalia Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey bring fun, learning to four area school districts

 Regalia International Birds of Prey drew 220 students on Friday, September 29th, to Old Central Gym at the Plymouth County Historical Museum in LeMars.

Students signing up for the field outing were from the school districts of Gehlen Catholic, Hinton Community, Kingsley-Pierson, and MMCRU of Remsen and Marcus. Members of the public also attended the free program.

A $350 grant to the Museum from the Loess Hills Audubon Society made the program possible.

After introducing their Birds of Prey and explaining their characteristics, the Regalia International staff demonstrated the flight of several birds. Students ducked as the birds flew over the bleachers where the students were seated.

At the beginning and end of the program, Regalia International allowed visitors a closer look at their Birds of Prey. Regalia International Birds of Prey provides raptor conservation, education, and demonstrations. The group is to perform at Sioux City’s Riverssance Festival on Saturday and Sunday.

All below images copyright 2023 by Randall D. Williams, used with permission.

Hummingbird Poem

T’was early in the morning when Gramma awoke

“To the kitchen”, she announced, and did what she bespoke

She found her recipe she needed with ease

She smiled and said “I have all of these”

For it only needed some sugar and water

And for grandma herself, that wasn’t a bother

She stirred them in a hot pan, then let them lay

The hummingbirds, she thought, will dine well today!

But alas, for the hummers, did only few do

For the feeders their numbers soon outgrew

Grandma watched in a mix of horror and astonishment

To the hummers the sugar water seemed like some intoxicant

They dived and twisted and pecked and flapped

To them fighting wars over food was just another day wrapped

So we watched their silhouettes moving without stop

Their bodies brawling, all flip, no flop

Never once they all came to a peaceful drink

They had been at war for ages, one might think

And it’s said about hummers, even to this very day

When their food grows thin, it all goes a-fray

by Maggie Marincic copyright 2023, used with permission.

KWIT Friend Raising

Members of Northwest Iowa Sierra Club and the Loess Hills Audubon Society participated in Science Friday fund raising endeavors at KWIT at 2:00 PM on Friday, April 28th. Thank you to Mary Hartnett and Mark Munger for hosting Marla Kerr, Jeanne Bockholt, Rex Rundquist and Randy Williams. A good time was had by all with some excellent conversation!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Dawn Snyder her retirement from the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center and THANK YOU for all of your time and efforts with the Loess Hills Audubon Society and other conservation programs and organizations around Siouxland!

Dawn received a lifetime membership in Loess Hills Audubon for her work with our chapter.

Tending Iowa’s Land

Cornelia F. Mutel, editor

For the past two years, I've been assembling and editing a book summarizing the major features and solutions for Iowa's environmental problems, organized around the themes SOILS, WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE, and BIODIVERSITY LOSS.

The book is now out - Tending Iowa's Land: Pathways to a Sustainable Future. Please see the book description for more details. ($19.00, Note that it is discounted through March 5 with a promotional code).  It includes chapters by Iowa Native Plant Society members Tom Rosburg, Pauline Drobney, Beth Lynch, and Rebecca Kauten.  

In the last 200 years, Iowa’s prairies and other wildlands have been transformed into vast agricultural fields. In a straightforward, friendly style, Iowa’s premier scientists and experts consider what has happened to our land and outline viable solutions that benefit agriculture as well as the state’s human and wild residents. 

I think that many plant lovers would be interested in this book. I am also hoping that you might mention it to others as you see fit, and if you wish share the flier link below or one of the social media links. Here is a short list of upcoming events available via Zoom or in Western Iowa where the book will be discussed. Thanks, Connie Mutel

• Feb 18 (Saturday) - Iowa Prairie Network winter seminar, Drake University, Des Moines. 4:15-4:55pm, “Tending Iowa’s Land: Visions for a More Resilient Future” - Mutel moderator with Tom Rosburg, Lisa Schulte-Moore. 

• June 2 – 4 – Loess Hills Prairie Seminar, Friday eve, 7:30-8:00pm  

Heartland River: A Cultural and Environmental History of the Big Sioux River Valley

In his introduction to this book, Jon K. Lauck writes, “Recognizing the Big Sioux River is not only a critical exercise in finding place in an increasingly digital and placeless world, but also an important exertion of cultural identity, a quest for the recognition of a lost watershed in the center of our nation during an era when the coasts dominate our society and the American interior remains neglected.”

In the 19 essays that follow, readers will find a cornucopia of delights and warnings. Almost every conceivable aspect of this 420-mile long prairie river is covered. The writers, for example, document almost everything, from early river cultures to modern day bacterial contamination of the river. This major tributary of the Missouri River which separates but also unifies South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota has never before been the subject of a book.

A Warbler's Journey

by Scott Weidensaul (Author), Nancy Lane (Illustrator)

For ages 5 and above. A female Yellow Warbler is helped on her migration by children and families in Central and North America. From David Sibley: “An engaging story with richly detailed illustrations.”

Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard

by Joan E. Strassmann

Many birders travel far and wide to popular birding destinations to catch sight of rare or “exotic” birds. In Slow Birding, evolutionary biologist Joan E. Strassmann introduces readers to the joys of birding right where they are. This is the perfect guide for the birder looking to appreciate the beauty of the birds right in their own backyard.

Ornitherapy: The therapeutic power of birdwatching

By Marta Curti
Published May 11, 2021

I thought people might enjoy this article from BirdWatching magazine on the therapeutic power of birdwatching: https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/news/birdwatching/ornitherapy-therapeutic-power-birdwatching/. This article was first published in the May/June 2021 issue of BirdWatching magazine.

Marla K., Sioux City, IA

By Sight & Sound: Tips for Birding Beginners

Posted 05/30/22 by Keith Russell

Please have a look at: https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2022/may/30/trail-moments-by-sight-sound-tips-for-birding-beginners/. This article is part of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Trail Moments initiative—to elevate new and tried-and-true trail voices around the country, and how trails impact the lives of Americans.

Keith Russell is Audubon Mid-Atlantic’s program manager for urban conservation. Based in Philadelphia, Keith works on a variety of bird conservation issues, including bird collisions with manmade structures, the effects of nocturnal lights on birds and migration stopover habitat.

What Your Food Ate:

How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health

by David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé

available late June, 2022

What Your Food Ate marshals evidence from recent and forgotten science to illustrate how the health of the soil ripples through to that of crops, livestock, and ultimately us.

The long-running partnerships through which crops and soil life nourish one another suffuse plant and animal foods in the human diet with an array of compounds and nutrients our bodies need to protect us from pathogens and chronic ailments. Unfortunately, conventional agricultural practices unravel these vital partnerships and thereby undercut our well-being. Can farmers and ranchers produce enough nutrient-dense food to feed us all? Can we have quality and quantity?

With their trademark thoroughness and knack for integrating information across numerous scientific fields, Montgomery (geologist) and Biklé (biologist) dig into the earth to determine how we are not just what we eat but also the land our food comes from. They call out agricultural challenges, such as microbial deficiencies in soil, which affect both crops and livestock. And they detail transformative farming tactics, both functional and economic. Regenerative farming practices may hold the key to healing sick soil and allow for the improvement of human health.

J. Drew Lanham

Pathfinding Through the Improbable

From the On Being podcast (#1044) last updated March 24,2022 profiles this African-American ornithologist and author. His celebrated books include The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature and a collection of poetry and meditations called Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts.

Also by J. Drew Lanham:

What Do We Do About John James Audubon?

The founding father of American birding soared on the wings of white privilege. The birding community and organizations that bear his name must grapple with this racist legacy to create a more just, inclusive world.

For the full article, go to: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/spring-2021/what-do-we-do-about-john-james-audubon

The Secret Perfume of Birds: Uncovering the Science of Avian Scent

by Danielle J. Whittaker,

Johns Hopkins University Press, 2022. (Hardcover $27.95)

Exploring the science behind the myth led her on an unexpected quest investigating mysteries from how juncos win a fight to why cowbirds smell like cookies. In The Secret Perfume of Birds―part science, part intellectual history, and part memoir―Whittaker blends humor, clear writing, and a compelling narrative to describe how scent is important not just for birds but for all animals, including humans.

Birds daily cover their feathers in a substance called preen oil taken from a gland at the base of their tail. This oil contains odorous compounds — in the case of the dark-eyed junco, it smells like leaf litter and soil. Studying how this odor arises and its purpose in bird behavior combines the chemistry of smelly compounds, the biology of bacteria and even the genetics of the human immune system.

Whittaker engagingly describes how emerging research has uncovered birds' ability to produce complex chemical signals that influence their behavior, including where they build nests, when they pick a fight, and why they fly away. From tangerine-scented auklets to her beloved juncos, redolent of moss, birds from across the world feature in Whittaker's stories, but she also examines the smelly chemicals of all kinds of creatures, from iguanas and bees to monkeys and humans.

Biking and Birding Across the US

From the Summer 2021 (6/25/21) issue of Living Bird magazine by Christina Greer

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/biking-and-birding-across-the-great-divides/

Ornithologist Scott Edwards embarked on such a trip last summer — 2020 COVID pandemic summer — on his bike. A 3,800-mile, 76-day bicycle ride from East Coast to West Coast. Edwards is the Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology at Harvard University (https://mcz.harvard.ed /people/scott-v-edwards), as well as curator of ornithology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology. He is also a board member at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Read how biking, birding, and observing America during a historic year—in the middle of a con­tentious presidential election season, a devastating pandemic, and roiling social unrest—affected him.

Birds’ Eye Size Predicts Vulnerability to Habitat Loss

from Scientific American, Volume 325, Number, 3, September 2021

Work in the 1980’s by University of Chicago graduate student Stanley Ritland — but never published — was recently analyzed by Ian Ausprey, a graduate student at the University of Florida and the Florida Museum of Natural History. The analysis was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. This analysis supports previous work in Peru showing that smaller-eyed birds adapt better to changing habitats.

“We’re able to show strong correlations between eye size, the type of habitat the birds use, their foraging behavior, as well as where in the world they live,” Ausprey says. Birds with smaller eyes tended to be migratory, traveling across many habitats; larger-eyed species had tighter ranges, concentrated around the equator and often shrouded by dense forest canopy. Larger-eyed birds tend to disappear from brightly lit agricultural and deforested landscapes; smaller-eyed birds adapt.

Lower 48 Has 4 Times as Many Bald Eagles as a Decade Ago 

In March, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the latest population estimate for Bald Eagles, and the news was heartening. Some 316,000 eagles now cruise the skies in the Lower 48—more than four times the previous estimate, from 2009. See how the most accurate eagle count in history was partly powered by 180,000 eBirders plus sophisticated eBird Science models.

Read the full story from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/new-bald-eagle-population-estimate-usfws/

Naturalist Traces The 'Astounding' Flyways Of Migratory Birds

Dave Davies of National Public Radio (NPR) interviews Scott Weidensaul, naturalist and author on NPR’s Fresh Air program. The full 36-minute audio interview is available on NPR’s website or you can read the transcript of the interview available on the same web page.

Mr. Weidensaul’s newest book is A World on the Wing: A Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds. To quote from the Amazon.com entry: “This breathtaking work of nature writing from Pulitzer Prize finalist Scott Weidensaul also introduces readers to those scientists, researchers, and bird lovers trying to preserve global migratory patterns in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges.

Drawing on his own extensive fieldwork, in A World on the Wing,Weidensaul unveils with dazzling prose the miracle of nature taking place over our heads.”

Trumpeter Swans with Collars

Hi All,

The Wildlife Research Section captured and collared 50 Trumpeter Swans in August and September 2020. 9 swans were given white GPS/GSM collars with black 2-digit codes and their cygnets were fitted with green ID collars with white 3-digit codes. We are still receiving data from GPS collars so do not need information on those birds, but now that the adults are returning to their breeding wetlands, cygnets are dispersing and it is harder to track them.

If you come across a Trumpeter Swan with a green neck collar or leg band please record the following information and email it to anna.buckardt@dnr.iowa.gov

1. Date of sighting

2. Location of sighting (GPS location if possible, otherwise location description is ok)

3. The collar ID(s) (3 digits)

4. Number of unmarked Trumpeter Swans with the collared bird(s)

Thank you for your help and have a great spring!

Anna Buckardt Thomas, Avian Ecologist, Wildlife Research Section, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 1436 255th St, Boone IA 50036, P: 515-823-3945

Inside the Movement to Abolish Colonialist Bird Names

by Nathalie Alonso, Feb 12, 2021, from Outside Magazine

Last summer, amid a national reckoning with systemic racism, the American Ornithological Society (AOS) accepted a proposal to rename McCown’s longspur, a grassland bird that was originally named after Confederate general John Porter McCown. The species is now called the thick-billed longspur. It marked the first time the organization agreed to change a bird’s name because it was racially offensive.

That proposal, along with ongoing conversations about racial injustice, inspired Maryland-based ornithologists and birders Jordan Rutter and Gabriel Foley to dig deeper into the origins of eponymous bird names—the term for birds named after a particular person. They found that of the more than 2,000 bird species in North America, another 149 had eponymous names, most of which were assigned by European and American naturalists in the 19th century, at the height of colonialism and American westward expansion. A number of those names enshrine figures associated with slavery and white supremacy. 

For the rest of the article, see: Outsideonline.com

Bird Whisperer Project

Since 2016 illustrators Amanda Makepeace and Melissa Gay have selected a new bird muse each month. Artists have a few weeks to create their works — all based on the same reference photo — and all submissions are featured on the group’s Facebook page. Posting day is the last Wednesday of the month, at precisely 5:00 PM EST. Artists keep their work hidden until it is posting time so they do not influence one another. About 80 different artists with varied experience in a dozen countries have taken part. Artists of all ages and skill levels are welcome!

Birding by Ear Can Be Challenging, But There’s Help at Hand

New to birdsong? Audubon’s eight-part Birding by Ear series distinguishes between songs and calls, provides memory hooks, and helps you tune to local birds. Spring is coming! Get your ears ready for migration!

What Is a Bird?: An Exploration of Anatomy, Physiology, Behavior, and Ecology

Hardcover – Illustrated, December 8, 2020

by Tony D. Williams (Editor, Contributor), Scott McWilliams (Contributor), Julia A. Clarke (Contributor), & 4 more

A large-format, beautifully illustrated look at the natural history of birds
There are some 10,000 bird species in existence today, occupying every continent and virtually every habitat on Earth. The variety of bird species is truly astounding, from the tiny bee hummingbird to the large flightless ostrich, making birds one of the most diverse and successful animal groups on the planet. Taking you inside the extraordinary world of birds, What Is a Bird? explores all aspects of these remarkable creatures, providing an up-close look at their morphology, unique internal anatomy and physiology, fascinating and varied behavior, and ecology. Part coffee-table book and part deep dive into the science of ornithology, it features hundreds of color illustrations and draws on a broad range of examples, from the familiar backyard sparrow to the most exotic birds of paradise. A must-have book for birders and armchair naturalists, What Is a Bird? is a celebration of the rich complexity of bird life.

• An absorbing and beautifully presented exploration of the natural history of birds

• Integrates physiological adaptations with ecology and behavior

• Features a wealth of color photographs and explanatory figures

• Uses scanning electron microscope imagery to provide a rare close-up view of structures not normally visible

• Provides insights into our complex relationship with birds, from our enduring fascination with them to the threats they face and the challenges of conservation

Bob's Birthday Drive-By Today
 

Today (12/2) is Bob N's 88th birthday and we will be having a Drive-By. Meet at 2:45 pm at El Fredo's parking lot at 19th and Center.  We will then proceed to drive by Nickolson's house and bring some Birthday Cheer to them. We will hope to see you then.

From Audubon, Volume 122, Number 3, Fall 2020

Out of Context: In the late 1990s seven Greater Rheas escaped from a farm in Germany. Hundreds of them now roam freely, much to the frustration of farmers. Read the full story here: https://www.audubon.org/news/inside-germanys-giant-hungry-flightless-bird-problem.

The Next Pandemic?: Birds, bats and other wildlife that once remained miles from humans are now living in their backyards, right alongside intermediate hosts that make it easier for deadly viruses to spread. More than two-thirds of newly recognized pathogens that now threaten humans come from wildlife, including the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Read the full story here: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/fall-2020/how-migrating-birds-could-warn-us-next-pandemic.

Vesper Flights

by Helen Macdonald  | Aug 25, 2020

Meditating on notions of captivity and freedom, immigration and flight, Helen invites us into her most intimate experiences: observing the massive migration of songbirds from the top of the Empire State Building, watching tens of thousands of cranes in Hungary, seeking the last golden orioles in Suffolk’s poplar forests. She writes with heart-tugging clarity about wild boar, swifts, mushroom hunting, migraines, the strangeness of birds’ nests, and the unexpected guidance and comfort we find when watching wildlife.

Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl

by Jonathan C. Slaght  | Aug 4, 2020

When he was just a fledgling birdwatcher, Jonathan C. Slaght had a chance encounter with one of the most mysterious birds on Earth, a Blakiston’s fish owl. Bigger than any owl he knew, it looked, “as if someone had hastily glued fistfuls of feathers to a yearling bear, then propped the dazed beast in the tree.” He snapped a quick photo and shared it with experts. That first sighting set his calling as a scientist. Soon he was on a five-year journey, searching for this enormous, enigmatic creature in the lush, remote forests of eastern Russia.

The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think

by Jennifer Ackerman  | May 5, 2020

“There is the mammal way and there is the bird way.” But the bird way is much more than a unique pattern of brain wiring, and lately, scientists have taken a new look at bird behaviors they have, for years, dismissed as anomalies or mysteries –– What they are finding is upending the traditional view of how birds conduct their lives, how they communicate, forage, court, breed, survive. They are also revealing the remarkable intelligence underlying these activities, abilities we once considered uniquely our own: deception, manipulation, cheating, kidnapping, infanticide, but also ingenious communication between species, cooperation, collaboration, altruism, culture, and play.

Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace

by Carl Safina  | Apr 14, 2020

This book looks into three cultures of other-than-human beings in some of Earth’s remaining wild places. It shows how if you’re a sperm whale, a scarlet macaw, or a chimpanzee, you too experience your life with the understanding that you are an individual within a particular community. You too are not who you are by genes alone; your culture is a second form of inheritance, received from thousands of individuals as pools of knowledge passing through generations like an eternal torch. You too may raise young, know beauty, or struggle to negotiate a peace. And your culture, too, changes and evolves. As situations shift, so does your community’s capacity for learning, especially social learning, which allows behaviors to adjust much faster than genes alone could adapt.

A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration

by Kenn Kaufman  | Apr 2, 2019

Every spring, billions of birds sweep north, driven by ancient instincts to return to their breeding grounds. This vast parade often goes unnoticed, except in a few places where these small travelers concentrate in large numbers. One such place is along Lake Erie in northwestern Ohio. There, the peak of spring migration is so spectacular that it attracts bird watchers from around the globe, culminating in one of the world’s biggest birding festivals. 
Now climate change threatens to disrupt patterns of migration and the delicate balance between birds, seasons, and habitats. But wind farms—popular as green energy sources—can be disastrous for birds if built in the wrong places. This is a fascinating and urgent study of the complex issues that affect bird migration.

From the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Blog, posted 29 Jul 2020

Interested in birds but don’t quite know where to start? Have a look at: https://www.inhf.org/blog/blog/birding-for-beginners/. This is a one-page guide that provides some starting points. The posting also lists several birding spots around the state but none within Siouxland. So here are a few local suggestions: Bacon Creek Park, Stone State Park, Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve, Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, Southwood Conservation Area, Brown’s Lake and Snyder’s Bend. Or, join Loess Hills Audubon on our next outing! Everyone is more than welcome!

 From Audubon, Volume 122, Number 1, Spring 2020

In the Field Notes report, “Sing It” from the above issue, “Up to two-thirds of vulnerable North American migratory landbird species may overwinter in different habitats based on sex, a factor considered in fewer than one in 10 conservation plans … .” Male migratory birds, such as the Golden-winged Warbler mentioned in this report, have a different habitat preference than females of the species. Conservation plans need to adjust to better protect males and females.

Also in the report: female birds do sing. “Among species where information exists, an estimated 70 percent of females — from Loggerhead Shrikes to Cerulean Warblers — do belt tunes, either solo or in duet with a male.” The Female Bird Song Project is recruiting volunteers to record video or audio of a female bird’s song. Visit the website, http://femalebirdsong.org, for more information.