People often ask us how to tell one hawk from another—especially when it’s just a dark silhouette against the sky. Field marks can help. They’re a useful entry point. But they’re not the whole story. At Avian Behavior Conservancy, we think birding isn’t just about identification—it’s about...
Migration is one of nature’s most awe-inspiring phenomena, and for many birds, it's an essential part of their life cycle. For long-distance migrators like Swainson's Hawks, preparing for migration requires intense metabolic changes, with one of the most crucial being hyperphagia. This term describes the period...
Welcome to our interactive deep dive on training a young Swainson's hawk at Avian Behavior International. This particular bird has quite an interesting backstory that shapes our approach to his training. He was found as a nestling covered in ants and ended up imprinting on...