FAQs & Common Problems | All About Birds

FAQs & Common Problems | All About Birds
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How can I keep birds from hitting my windows?
Why do woodpeckers like to hammer on houses? And what can I do about it?
How do I keep the squirrels in my yard away from my feeders and bird seed?
What do I do if I find a sick, injured, or dead bird?
FAQ: Outdoor Cats and Their Effects on Birds
FAQs & Common Problems Articles/Videos
Optics & Equipment (4)
Bird Cams (7)
Bird Sounds (11)
Sick & Injured Birds (13)
Bird ID (13)
Migration (16)
Nests & Baby Birds (20)
Birds & People (20)
Feeding Birds (24)
Projects (25)
Bird Behavior (32)
Science & Conservation (34)
Cornell Bird-Friendly Campus Initiative
What's going on when I see little birds going after a big bird?
Bird Cams
Bird Cams FAQ: California Condor Nest
Why Birds Hit Windows—and How You Can Help Prevent It
Is the Smoke from Wildfires Dangerous to Birds?
How to Record Bird Sounds [Bird Academy Course]
6 Common Bird Migration Questions, Answered by Our Expert
Where can I find a list of all the birds in the world?
Where Can I Go to Watch Hawk Migration?
FAQ: Changes to Eponymous Bird Names
Macaulay Library
Macaulay Library: Help & Resources
Can a Hawk or Owl Pose a Threat to a Small Dog or Cat?
How can I adjust my binoculars so I don't see blacked-out areas?
eBird
How Do Scientists Use eBird Data?
K–12 Education
K-12 Free Webinars for Educators
K–12 Education
Cornell Lab K-12 Education
On a visit to Ithaca, New York, I saw a crow with large, red tags on each shoulder. Is this one of your projects?
Do young birds recognize their parents after they've grown up?
Questions about Studying Birds at Cornell
A bird keeps flying into my window or car mirror, on purpose. What should I do?
I found a baby bird. What do I do?
How Can I Share My Bird Photos With the Cornell Lab?
What are some of the first spring birds to arrive, and when will they get here?
I often see birds on telephone wires while I’m driving—how do I figure out what they are from such a short glimpse?
Why do woodpeckers like to hammer on houses? And what can I do about it?
What do small birds do in a storm?
What's the best book or field guide for bird identification?
Why Do Birdwatchers Need Close Focus in Binoculars?
Bird Cams
Bird Cams FAQ: Red-tailed Hawk Nest
After birds leave a nest box, can I clean out the nest for future use?
Bird Cams
Bird Cams FAQ: Great Horned Owl Nest
Are Cardinals Redder in Winter?
BirdCast
Birdcast: Bird migration forecasts in real-time
Living Bird Magazine
These Female Hummingbirds Masquerade as Males
Living Bird Magazine
Do Birds Have Eyelashes?
You're seeing fewer hummingbirds at your feeder. Should you worry?
Bird Cams
Bird Cams FAQ: Barred Owl Nest
I’m seeing fewer birds in my yard. Is something affecting their populations?
Macaulay Library
The Shape of a Bird’s Beak Is Determined by More Than Diet
FAQ: Facebook Fundraisers
How do hurricanes affect migrating birds?
eBird
Getting Started with eBird Mobile
eBird
How Do You Count Birds at a Feeder?
FAQ: Outdoor Cats and Their Effects on Birds
What do I do if I find a sick, injured, or dead bird?
NestWatch
Nesting Birds: Is it Legal to Move a Nest or Raise Nestlings?
What Is Taxonomic Order and Why Is It Used for the Sequence of Birds in My Field Guide?
Courses
Home Study Course in Bird Biology - Frequently Asked Questions
eBird
eBird: Help & FAQ
Project FeederWatch
How Can I Stop Blue Jays From Chipping the Paint on My House?
How can coffee help or harm birds?
There's a hummingbird at my feeder in the dead of winter. Will it be okay?
NestWatch
NestWatch: Help & FAQ
Planned Giving at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Merlin
Merlin Help & FAQ
There's a bird in my yard I've never seen before. How can I find out what it is?
Great Backyard Bird Count
Great Backyard Bird Count—Help & FAQs
Merlin
Merlin Bird ID App: Frequently Asked Questions
eBird
How to Enter Christmas Bird Count Sightings Into eBird
Project FeederWatch
Do Birds Get Hurt by Tick Bites?
Project FeederWatch
If Birds Eat Uncooked Rice, Can It Swell Up in Their Stomachs and Kill Them?
Project FeederWatch
Can Birds Choke on Peanut Butter?
Project FeederWatch
Can a Bird's Feet Stick to Metal Perches?
NestWatch
How to Find Nests
Project FeederWatch
Birding and Feeding Tips From FeederWatch Participants
Project FeederWatch
I Only See the Same Few Birds in My Citizen Science Project. Do You Really Want My Counts?
Project FeederWatch
Why Does FeederWatch Season End Just as All the Summer Birds Are Starting to Come Back?
Project FeederWatch
Gallery: View or Submit Photos of Sick or Diseased Birds
Project FeederWatch
Gallery: Browse or Submit Photos of Unusual Birds
Project FeederWatch
Color Variants, Deformed Bills, Bald Birds, and Other Unusual Birds at Your Feeder
Project FeederWatch
Do Bird Feeders Spread Disease?
Project FeederWatch
What Are the Costs and Benefits of Bird Feeding?
Project FeederWatch
What Is an Irruption?
Project FeederWatch
Why Do I See Robins in Winter—Don't They Migrate South?
Project FeederWatch
My Feeders Are Attracting Rats. What Can I Do?
Project FeederWatch
Do Tube Feeders Contribute to the Spread of House Finch Eye Disease and Other Diseases?
Project FeederWatch
Can Harmful Bacteria or Germs Survive on Feeders in Winter?
Project FeederWatch
How Do I Clean My Feeders in Winter?
Courses
Spring Field Ornithology: Help & FAQ
Celebrate Urban Birds
Celebrate Urban Birds: Help & FAQ
How do birds survive in very cold temperatures?
Birds of North America
Birds of the World Online: Help & FAQ
Bird Cams
Bird Cams FAQ: Laysan Albatross Nest
Bird Cams
Bird Cams FAQ: Great Blue Heron Nest
Bird Cams
Bird Cams FAQ: Barn Owl Nest
Bird Cams
Bird Cams FAQ: Snowy Owl Nest
Do partridges occur in pear trees?
How can a tiny Winter Wren sing so many sounds so loudly?
If I don't pick up a baby bird, will my cat or dog kill it?
How long do birds incubate their eggs and how long do chicks stay in the nest?
If I handle a baby bird, will the parents abandon it?
Can I raise a baby bird I found?
What can I do about a bird that sings all night long outside my window?
Do Birds Have Teeth?
I have wasps in my birdhouse. What should I do?
How do I keep herons from eating the fish in my pond?
It sounds like there are birds stuck in my chimney. What should I do?
I’m getting married. Is it true that rice causes birds’ stomachs to explode?
In your opinion, what bird species is the most beneficial to mankind?
How long do wintering Snowy Owls stay with us before they return to their breeding grounds?
Why do migratory birds crash into buildings and how can it be prevented?
Why do migrating Canada Geese sometimes fly in the "wrong" direction?
What's good nesting material to offer birds?
I found a nest with eggs but no adult birds around. What should I do?
What's the Best Way to Watch a Nest Without Disturbing the Parents or Chicks?
Is it possible I've heard a whole flock of swans migrating overhead late at night?
How can I protect the baby birds in a nest from predators including snakes, cats, and other birds?
Can you really use weather radar to see migrating birds?
How do birds prepare for long migrations?
I found a songbird nest with two different types of eggs in it. What is going on?
Do backyard birds return to the same spot year after year?
Is it unusual to see American Robins in the middle of winter?
There's a bird nesting near my house. What should I do?
What is the Migratory Bird Treaty Act?
Do hummingbirds migrate in flocks?
Are Whip-poor-will populations declining? What can we do about it?
I've just upgraded my optics. What should I do with my old binoculars?
How can an owl catch a mouse underneath a foot of snow in total darkness?
Why don’t birds collide when they are flying close together in tight flocks?
Why do female Belted Kingfishers have an extra rust-colored “belt” that the males don’t have?
What's the difference between shade-grown, organic, fair-trade, and Bird-Friendly coffee?
Is drinking shade-grown coffee good for birds?
How are coffee and birds related?
What should I do to report a rare bird?
Do hawks flock together?
Why are some species found out of their normal range more than others?
What can cause birds to show weird color variations?
I saw a House Finch that was orange or yellow instead of red. What happened to it?
The goldfinches at my feeder are starting to look dull and patchy. What's happening to them?
Yesterday evening around dusk I watched hundreds and hundreds of birds flying over my house. What were they?
I saw a black-and-white bird at my feeder with a red triangle on the breast. What is it?
How do I keep the squirrels in my yard away from my feeders and bird seed?
How do I keep ants out of my hummingbird feeder?
What are owl pellets?
Why are loons chasing each other across my lake?
Do birds store food for the winter?
Why don't birds get cold feet?
How can Bald Eagles survive in northern areas after all the lakes have frozen?
How much do birds eat each day?
I believe that the same blue heron has been perching on my dock for 28 years. What is their life span?
I live in a high-rise apartment in the city. How can I attract birds?
Do vultures find dead animals by smell or by tracking predators or scavengers on the ground?
What should I do if I find algae in my birdbath?
Why can't penguins fly?
Do all birds have gizzards?
I've been hearing beautiful bird songs every morning since spring, but suddenly I'm not hearing birds at all! What happened to them?
A hawk has started hunting the feeder birds in my yard. What can I do?
Should I stop feeding birds in fall so they can start their migration?
Why do I see fewer hummingbirds in midsummer?
Who is the "Lincoln" that the Lincoln's Sparrow is named for?
Should I use red food coloring in hummingbird food?
What's the best recipe for hummingbird nectar?
Where did the domestic turkey come from?
Why are Blue Jays far more noisy in fall than earlier in the summer?
What is the difference between a beak and a bill?
What is the most beautiful bird song in North America?
Do bird songs have frequencies higher than humans can hear?
Do parent and baby birds recognize each other's songs or calls?
My feeders are being overrun with starlings and blackbirds. What can I do?
How do you pronounce a scientific name? What's the proper pronunciation for this bird species, Tympanuchus phasianellus?
Why do birds have such elaborate and varied courtship rituals?
If Brown-headed Cowbirds are reared by other species, how do they know they are cowbirds when they grow up?
Should I take my feeder down when the weather starts to warm up?
Do birds play?
I've seen a bird with an overgrown or otherwise deformed bill. What is wrong with it?
Do birds sleep?
Why do hummingbirds fight so much?
What can cause an adult bird to die inside a birdhouse or nest box?
I have a bald bird at my feeder. Is it sick?
Why do some birds stand on one foot?
I saw a little bird feeding a much larger bird. Is it rare to see two different species feeding each other?
Will birds use nest boxes to roost in for warmth during the winter?
I've seen a sick House Finch with red, swollen, or weepy eyes. What's wrong with it?
How can I tell if a sick bird has West Nile Virus?
Why do birds leave the nest before they can fly?
Which birds are the best mimics?
Why do some birds mimic the sounds of other species?
How can I keep birds from hitting my windows?
I found some abandoned eggs. Can I take them to a rehab center to raise them?
I found a pigeon or dove that seems tame and has colored bands on its legs. What should I do?
A woodpecker is putting rows of holes in my tree. Will it hurt the tree?
There's a huge starling roost near my house and they're driving us nuts! What can we do?
How Many Eggs Does a Bird Lay?
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