News

By Jon Friedman   In wildness is the preservation of the world - Thoreau       Introduction – From the Beginning Regular readers of my articles, particularly in recent years, have come to understand that I see informing them of educational information, besides basic bird identification and behavior, is part of my objective. I have been writing about birds from various viewpoints and think it important to present material from a historical perspective, and in doing so have written about localized bird history and viewpoints from important past ornithologists and naturalists, such as Charles Darwin, Henry David Thoreau, John...

Foreword by Jon Friedman I first met Gale about 20 years ago, when she came to The Wild Bird Store as a birder needing supplies. After our initial introduction, we became “bird friends” and with each repeat visit to the store, I learned more about her and her passion for wildlife. Soon thereafter, she allowed us to publish a little photo essay of her then-resident female roadrunner, Sweetie. Along with her husband, Steve, she has traveled the world photographing native wildlife in their natural habitat. Over the years, they have traveled the deserts and polar regions and much in between!...

By Jon Friedman (This article was recently updated from its original 2011 publication in The Wild Bird Store Newsletter.) Jon's Yard   Introduction Birders know that Southeastern Arizona provides some of the premier bird watching experiences in North America, and this presents year round opportunities as every season offers excellent birding. Winter birding can be every bit as satisfying as any other season. Backyard birding may be birding at its casual best, yet an astonishing number of species can be attracted to our feeders and houses. The general rule of thumb is that the wider variety of food types you...

By Jon Friedman (This is an updated and expanded version of a raven article originally published in our May/June, 1996 issue of The Wild Bird Store Newsletter) Ravens belong to the Corvidae family of birds which includes all North American jays (except one) and the Yellow-billed and Black-billed Magpies. The subfamily of Corvinae includes the Common Raven, Chihuahuan Raven (formerly called the White-necked Raven), Common Crow, Northwestern Crow, Fish Crow, Mexican Crow, Hawaiian Crow, Piñon Jay and the Clark’s Nutcracker. Many of the Corvidae family of birds are considered to be among the most intelligent of all avian species, along...

By Jon Friedman   Much of my adult life, particularly in the past three decades or so, I have come across many books about birds that I have enjoyed immensely. Even though my library is stocked with many reference books, there have been quite a few that I read not only for whatever factual gleaning was offered, but also for the sheer joy and entertainment value that certain writers powerfully convey. In this article, I will outline a few of my favorite non-reference books, and movies, that I heartily recommend to others who share a love of birds. The Birds...