Tag: american bird conservancy

The Zone-Tailed Hawk is a large, dark raptor with a wide, but disjunct, range that barely reaches into the southwestern United States. It’s about the size of a Red-Tailed Hawk, but noticeably slimmer. Perched, this hawk appears blackish, but in flight, reveals finely-barred gray flight feathers that can appear silvery from a distance. Its tail has three light-colored bands, or zones, which give this bird its common name. Yellow legs and a yellow and gray bill round out the Zone-Tailed Hawk’s most noticeable ID features.

In flight, the Zone-Tailed … Continue

Throughout 2024, our staff was out in the field, taking bold action for birds! Thank you to our supporters and partners for making it all possible.

Featured projects and partners:

• Aquia Private Conservation Area, part of the Conserva Aves initiative and in partnership with ECOAN, with the support of Bezos Earth Fund and private donors.
• Motus Wildlife Tracking System, an international collaborative research network led by Birds Canada
• Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition, a group of organizations safeguarding the future of the horseshoe crab.
• Oaks & Prairies Joint Venture, a

When it comes to conserving birds across the Americas, Every Acre Counts.

American Bird Conservancy has conserved millions of acres of habitat for birds like the Swainson’s Thrush, Golden-winged Warbler, and the rare Cundinamarca Antpitta over the past 30 years. But there is much more to be done: Habitat loss is the most urgent threat facing wild birds today.

Habitat conservation is essential for bird conservation — and the good news is, you can help, whether it’s working in your own neighborhood or supporting establishment of a reserve that … Continue

The Lapland Longspur is one of four species of longspur in North America (the other three are the Thick-Billed, Chestnut-Collared, and Smith’s Longspurs). However, the Lapland Longspur is the only member of its genus distributed across both the New and Old Worlds. It’s one of the most abundant breeding songbirds in the Americas, and is also a common breeder in Eurasia, where it’s known as Lapland Bunting.

The male Lapland Longspur is eye-catching in breeding plumage, with a head and upper body of rich chestnut and black, bisected by … Continue

The tiny, elusive LeConte’s Sparrow is closely related to other grassland sparrow species, including the Saltmarsh, Baird’s, and Henslow’s Sparrows. Like these relatives, the LeConte’s Sparrow behaves more like a mouse than a bird, foraging on the ground amidst thick vegetation, and scuttling away, rather than flying, when it feels threatened.

For those lucky enough to get a good look at one, the LeConte’s Sparrow shows several definitive ID features: a pumpkin-colored face with grey cheeks, a dark brown crown with white central stripe, and, perhaps most notably, a … Continue