Backyard Birds of Texas: Mockingbirds, Cardinals and Doves
The common birds of Texas yards and feeders, season by season, with the state bird, the White-winged Dove, hummingbird timing and notes for each region.
6 min read
The Backyard Field Guide
Know every bird at your feeder.
Plain-English guides to attracting backyard birds, feeding them well, telling them apart, and watching them up close.
Older guides
How to Stop Squirrels Climbing a Bird Feeder Pole
A baffle stops the climb and open space stops the leap. Cone and cylinder baffles compared, what pole size changes, and why grease on the pole harms birds.
6 min read
How to Attract Nuthatches: Suet, Sunflower and Tree Bark
Sunflower, peanuts and suet near mature trees bring nuthatches in. Here is what each species eats, which feeders suit them, and how winter flocks with chickadees work.
6 min read
How to Track Bird Migration With Radar Forecasts
Weather radar shows migrating birds every night. Learn to read it, what migration forecasts and live maps mean, and how to use them to catch new birds in your yard.
6 min read
Can Rats Climb a Bird Feeder Pole? How to Stop Them
Rats climb wooden posts and thin poles and jump from nearby fences. Here is the pole and baffle setup that stops them, and the cleanup that ends the problem.
6 min read
How to Choose Binoculars for Bird Watching
What the numbers mean, which size suits backyard birding, and the features that matter more than magnification: close focus, weight, eye relief and waterproofing.
7 min read
How Do Bird Feeder Cameras Work? Power, Sensors and Alerts
What happens between a bird landing and a video alert on your phone, part by part, plus the usual reasons a camera misses the moment or sends empty alerts.
7 min read
How to Attract Cardinals With Safflower, Shrubs and Water
Northern cardinals stay in one area all year, so a yard with the right seed, feeder, cover and water can keep a pair visiting in every season.
5 min read
How to Keep Squirrels Off Bird Feeders: Methods That Work
Squirrels are strong climbers and excellent jumpers. The fix is geometry first, a baffled pole in the right spot, then the feeder and seed choices that finish the job.
5 min read
Where to Put a Bird Feeder: Safe, Visible and Busy Spots
Choose a feeder spot you can watch and maintain, with suitable escape cover and squirrel clearance. Protect hazardous glass directly rather than relying on a safe-distance rule.
5 min read
Common Backyard Birds: Feeder Regulars Across the US
A photo-free ID guide to the birds most likely to visit a US backyard feeder, with the one field mark that sets each apart and where they live.
6 min read
Is Black Oil Sunflower Seed Good for Birds? Pros and Cons
Black oil sunflower is the closest thing to a do-everything bird seed. Here is who eats it, what its downsides are, and when to switch to the hulled kind.
5 min read