Bird of the Month

By John Shackford The Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) is named after the early American ornithologist Alexander Wilson (1766-1813).  There are three species of phalaropes:  in … Read more

By John Shackford One of the few warblers that nests in the Oklahoma City area is the Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia).  J. E. Holloway (2003. … Read more

By John Shackford Springtime is the time to see beautiful warblers and one of these beautiful species is the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla).  The American … Read more

By John Shackford When someone mentions hawk, the Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is usually the first one to come to my mind.  I suspect it … Read more

By John Shackford The Barred Owl (Strix varia) starts its own conversation:  “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you ALL?” which is perhaps the … Read more

By John Shackford When discussing the Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), a good place to start is on its breeding grounds, in the high arctic; it … Read more

By John Shackford This winter, with its arctic air masses coming frequently and deeply into the United States, has brought us several far north bird … Read more

By John Shackford The Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) is something of an odd duck (as the saying goes); it is a diving duck species.  The … Read more

By John Shackford The Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) is one of the dabbler ducks—ducks that feed by swimming on the surface of ponds with their … Read more

by John Shackford Many birds grace our state only during migration; one of these is the Baird’s Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii).  The species is named “for … Read more