An introduction to the science of bird migration in Canada
Palm warbler (Photo by Marshall Faintich)
Birds move. Actually, they do better than that: most birds fly. And the distances these tiny creatures can cover is jaw-dropping. On top of that, can you imagine the views from a bird's vantage point as it flies from South America to Canada?...
Birding by ear: What birdsongs tell us
Eastern meadowlark (Photo by Mhairi McFarlane/NCC staff)
Have you ever been out walking and heard birds singing and wondered which bird was making which sound? Or perhaps you’ve been sitting outside on a summer’s evening and heard a persistent bird calling, but you weren’t sure what...
5 ways insects make our world a better place
Dragonfly at Carden Alvar, ON (Photo by NCC)
There are an estimated 10 quintillion individual insects on Earth. That’s 19 zeroes after the one! Insects make up 75 per cent of all animals. Despite their ubiquity, they have a PR problem. People often find them gross, scary or even...
Peek into the nests of some Canada’s most iconic birds
Osprey in their nest (Photo by Lorne)
Around the world, wildlife cameras have been set up in places where birds nest. The purposes of these cameras vary, but each has the ability to help viewers connect to and learn about their subjects in new ways. With live feeds often rolling 24...
Find the Birds – How a mobile game can aid conservation
Vermillion flycatchers in the game (Graphic courtesy of Adam Dhalla)
It is not a stretch to say that our planet is in dire need of more conservationists, and environmentally minded people in general. Birds and birdwatching are gateways to introducing conservation and science to a new generation. Growing up in...
The hurdles of the charisma-challenged
Eastern mole (Photo by Bert Cash, CC BY 4.0)
What do dodgeball and charisma-challenged species have in common? In elementary school, I was always, by far, the shortest kid in the class, and I barely cracked 80 pounds. In gym class, I was pretty much the last player chosen for the dodgeball...
Gardening with native plants this spring
Wild bergamot (Photo by Sarah Ludlow/NCC staff)
I love to garden. I excitedly begin planning for the next year as soon as the autumn chill settles over the Prairies. I’m always impatient for spring to arrive, and it doesn't help when the seed catalogues start arriving in November. I find...
Canada's splendid sparrow crew
Dark-eyed junco (Photo by Bill Hubick)
Sparrows often don’t get enough credit. Many don’t have flashy plumage like jays, orioles or cardinals, or melodic songs like thrushes or meadowlarks; however, sparrow species are often fairly distinct (once you get to know them) and...
Something’s fishy: While you were sleeping
Atlantic whitefish (Photo by Bob Semple)
There are few things I love more than a good power nap. As an avid runner, I put my body through a lot, and rest is an important part of the training process. But sleep is essential for all humans, regardless of how many kilometres we are...
Do you get enough Vitamin N?
Father and child by the lake (Photo by Laubenstein Karen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Wikimedia Commons)
You find yourself breathing more deeply, taking in the sharp scent of pine and the sweet mustiness of leaves returning to dust on the forest floor beneath your feet. For a moment, the quiet is broken only by birdsong — the notes that...
