Countryside living. Getting on a bit. It was only a matter of time before I gave into certain impulses: I’m curious about birdlife. It’s a curiosity that’s at risk of developing into outright ...

It’s spring, and nature is pulling me away from my computer as I write this. The sun is shining, the world is warming up, and the birds are chirping away. And that got me thinking: What if a ...

Heard a chirp or spotted a flutter? These free apps identify backyard birds by sight or sound — no binoculars or in-depth ...

Birding is a popular pastime for people of all ages. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, more than 45 million people enjoy watching birds. It’s a hobby you can pick up at any time, it’s ...

Spring is here, and the air is full of birdsong. The Merlin Bird ID app tells you what type of birds you’re hearing … plus it’s quick, easy and free. With this software from the Cornell Lab of ...

I’m not a bird watcher, but I’ve become a bird listener ever since downloading a bionic ear app to my phone. It lets me enter a different world, one where I’m surrounded not just by chirping but by ...

Springtime and the world in early May is alive with birdsong before sunrise: to some, a discordant cacophony, to others, a heavenly, harmonious chorus. Gone are the days when you just grabbed your ...

Despite its brilliant plumage — jet-black wings on a crimson body — the songbird can be a hard one to spot in a forest because it prefers to stay high in the canopy. It sounds a little like a robin to ...

I heard a tune playing over a grocery store’s sound system but could not recall the name of song or singer. I opened the Shazam app on my phone and nodded to myself — “You Never Can Tell” by Chuck ...

Merlin was on the job at Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis Park one recent day, helping birders identify bird songs. Not Merlin the storied magician, although what was happening could be ...