I feel so torn about writing about House Sparrows this week! Although they are an exotic, invasive species that displace and outcompete native birds, they ARE a very commonly heard bird — which is why they are here, in the Who’s That Singing series. For better or worse (and mostly worse), House Sparrows are apart of the soundscape in most urban and farm settings, so here we go!

Photo by Jan Rose FCC

Russ Hefty just died, sad news for Russ's family and friends. Purple Martins, Cherokee Marsh, the Sugar River and many other creatures and habitats and those of us who cherish wild creatures and wild places will miss his persistent, thoughtful advocacy.

Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA

I absolutely love it when a teeny-tiny bird can blast out a song completely out of proportion with their size. The Northern House Wren is the best example of that I can think of. The Northern House Wren is an excited little bird, seemingly constantly on the move and singing frequently their big, cheerful song. They are happy in back yards and will nest readily in nest boxes, so are a common one for backyard birders to hear and see.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

What to do? Our only chance to save Stewardship is to join hands and send messages of Stewardship support to Governor Evers (so he'll insist on Stewardship being included in any version of the budget he'll sign) and legislators, especially Republicans, to support Stewardship. The arguments: it's good for the environment, animals, plants, people, outdoor recreation, the tourist economy and the overwhelmingly vast majority of Wisconsin voters and residents support it.**

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

From the moment the arrive in spring, you know they’re here. Red-winged Blackbirds are a wetland bird that is loud and proud and about as bold as you can imagine.

Photo by Mick Thompson

Lots of people in the Madison area are making their gardens a beautiful, vibrant landscape while supporting birds, bees, butterflies, and other native wildlife!

The native plant sale that we put on with Holy Wisdom Monastery, SOS Save Our Songbirds, and Johnson’s Nursery in Menomonee Falls was a huge success! Not just in terms of dollars but equally and even better in terms of number of bird- and insect-supporting native plants that have found their way into yards in Southern Wisconsin as a result.

Photo by Ann Mader, provided by Lisa Gaumnitz

This season at the sanctuaries (Summer 2025): learn what’s been going on behind the scenes, who you can expect to find when you visit, and how to get involved in the coming few months!

SoWBA photo

All of us in SoWBA enjoyed the recent newsletter about Citizen Science, with Mickenzee's account of the Lincoln Elementary School's citizen scientists my favorite.

SoWBA and the Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited recently hosted those 4th graders on their and our annual end of the year field trip. For many it's their first chance to see and hold a fish.

Photo by Carolyn Byers

One of the most fabulous summer birds is certainly the Gray Catbird, who is doing a LOT of singing right now in southern Wisconsin. It makes a variety of sounds that are both silly and interesting, given that this bird is a relative of mockingbirds and thrashers — birds that are skilled mimics. Its song is a delightful gibberish of babbling noises, and its call is what gives it the name Catbird.

Photo by Dennis Church FCC

The Northern Cardinal has some really amazing and note-worthy sounds! Males sing year round, females do some singing as well, and all cardinals make noises galore.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

The Baltimore Oriole is one of the most beloved bird species by backyard birders, and for good reason! It’s colorful, it enjoys the fruits and jellies put out in feeders, it creates incredible nests, and importantly, it sings a delightful, jolly tune.

Photo by Phil Brown

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance’s Goose Pond Sanctuary always has a ton going on. Bird conservation, habitat restoration, research, and outreach are always in season here. Learn more about Goose Pond in the latest update.

Photo by Emma Raasch/SoWBA

Nothing says “Spring is here!!” like the song of the American Robin. This common bird is many of our favorites for good reason. Its sounds are cheerful, familiar, and in Wisconsin synonymous with the arrival of warmer weather and springtime flowers. The American Robin makes a lot of different noises, and makes them often. It is a bird you are likely to hear on a daily basis, and once you commit their sounds to memory, you’ll be hearing them all over!

Photo by Arlene Koziol

The Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Annual Spring Hearing gives members of the public the opportunity to provide input on a variety of questions. We encourage you to take the time to fill out the survey—many of the questions impact ecosystems and wildlife both locally and throughout the state.

Photo via Pixabay

This season at the sanctuaries (Spring 2025): learn what’s been going on behind the scenes, who you can expect to find when you visit, and how to get involved in the coming few months!

Photo by Gary Shackelford

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance’s Goose Pond Sanctuary always has a ton going on. Bird conservation, habitat restoration, research, and outreach are always in season here. Learn more about Goose Pond in the latest update.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

When this latest polar blast has  you safely and warmly inside, click on this link and tell the DNR how you think wildlife should be managed.

Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Northern Wisconsin's cherished public forests—the national, state, and county forests—resulted from government action. That was the first Golden Age of Public Lands in Wisconsin. Like many Golden Ages (the Golden Age of the Roman Empire, the Golden Age of the  European empires) greed and  suffering formed the foundation of the age. I think the legacy of Wisconsin's public lands is much more positive than the effects of some of those other epochs.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

A new year brings optimism although Baby Optimism seems to have had a difficult birth and an uncertain future in 2025. But outside, hope is always to be found. Reality too.

Photo by Linda Ib’s photopix FCC

Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 virus (HPAI) is active in southern Wisconsin. Read this post to learn more about HPAI and what you can do to limit risk and spread.

Photo via Pixabay

This season at the sanctuaries (Winter 2024): learn what’s been going on behind the scenes, who you can expect to find when you visit, and how to get involved in the coming few months!

Photo by Monica Hall

Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance’s Goose Pond Sanctuary always has a ton going on. Bird conservation, habitat restoration, research, and outreach are always in season here. Learn more about Goose Pond in the latest update.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

Waiting for me this week was one of the coolest and most handsome Wisconsin waterfowl, a Hooded Merganser, aka the hoodie. This was a drake in his full plumage with his magnificent crest. He was socializing with a small group of Mallards but the connection did not last. They flew and he fished, more on that in a bit

Photo by Mick Thompson

Jim Hess was just awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW) in recognition of the 25 years he has spent building, installing, and monitoring bluebird houses near his home in rural Blanchardville. For many of those years he has mentored bluebird lovers in Lafayette and Grant Counties to do the same. Please use this link to a story in the Monroe Times with more information on Jim's great accomplishments.

Photo by Arlene Koziol

A few dedicated seed collectors gathered at Goose Pond for the final volunteer effort of the season. We were looking for New England asters (NEAs) and white baptisia. Both are important for pollinators with New England asters being one of my favorites. A late bloomer, it and showy goldenrod are the flowers that give our migrating monarchs the nutritional boost they need before flying  south.

Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS

Stiff goldenrod was one of the plant seeds we collected. Collecting goldenrods occasions a goldenrod identification seminar that Graham and Emma conduct for the volunteers — the many species of goldenrod look similar and one species is on the “avoid” list. We certainly want to collect whatever the desired species is but we also have to avoid Canada goldenrod.

Photo by Graham Steinhauer/SoWBA