American Crow

American Crow

American Crows, known for their abundance from farm fields to urban areas, might surprise some with their intelligence. It's easy to anthropomorphize crows—they're often marked as pests, sinister, or aggressive. But crows objectively score close to primates on cognition tests.

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

Our First Wisconsin CBCs After Decades in Southeast Texas

Christmas Bird Count (CBC) morning dawned at 6°F; the afternoon high was 30°F. While that sounds like a typical morning of a Wisconsin CBC, it was actually the morning of the Buffalo Bayou, Texas CBC in west Houston on December 23, 1989.

Photo by Bob Honig

White-winged Crossbill

White-winged Crossbill

Though mostly restricted to northern Wisconsin where abundant native conifer trees provide food, White-winged Crossbills will breed in conifer plantings in the southern Kettle Moraine, and other localized spots of high conifer density in southern Wisconsin.

Photo by Kurayba FCC

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Without the attractant of bird feeders in suburban areas, the Sharp-shinned Hawk might be a much rarer sight. As it stands, the bird is occasionally seen at feeders, but it’s not there for the bird feed. Instead, it’s songbirds that feed the Sharp-shinned Hawk, making up 90% of its diet.

Photo by Mick Thompson

 
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