Avian Behavior Conservancy

10/14/2026

Gaucho the Swainson’s hawk was giving me a run for my money here. When hyperphagia hits, I always imagine he looks at the world like the cartoons I grew up with and everything looks like a crispy brown chicken drumstick or roasting turkey, and he can’t get enough of it.

Some birds are crazy migrators, like my personal fave, the bar tailed godwit. Migration is one of the most fascinating things on earth to me, and I hope you love learning about it, too!

10/04/2026

10/02/2026

Last call for tomorrow's Birds, Botany and the Creek at the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve with The Escondido Creek Conservancy. There are only a few spots left! Come join us for a morning of birds and birding, nature at the creekside, and activities for the whole family. Our bird program begins at 10:30am
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/birds-botany-and-the-creek-a-fun-draiser-for-nature-tickets-2000215416154?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/01/2026

Owls have a variety of ways that they communicate, which is pretty cool for being solitary birds. Generally social birds have larger repertoires. Different hoots, t***s, whistles and whinnies mean different things, those with feather tufts (ahem *plumicorns* if we are being academic) can signal, and some species can even flash the white under their chins for different purposes. The discerning bird trainer uses these cues to help maximize the comfort for the birds in their care.

Nigel the Eastern Screech owl will softly trill in his mews almost like a siren willing people to come closer when we are puttering around doing chores nearby so that he can hop close and hopefully grab a mealworm or two from a softhearted human 😅💓

09/30/2026

Corvids like Forrest the white necked raven are almost too clever at problem solving for their own good. On North America, their range has expanded both naturally and in human supported ways. This can lead to foraging for resources in ecosystems that can’t evolve fast enough to defend themselves, such as ground nesting species.

While aversive conditioning may not always work in every case or may need “reminders” it can be a really helpful tool in cases where other options are limited or nonexistent.

Also you check out Forrest’s powers of problem solving this Saturday at Birds, Botany, and the Creek in Escondido at the Elgin Forest Recreational Reserve.