It's Finally Leaf Time, And Someone Is Very Excited About It

American Woodcock demonstrates "distal rhynchokinesis," the ability to flex the end of its bill. This allows it to grab earthworms it encounters when probing in soil. Other shorebirds, including Dunlins & Sanderlings, can bend their bills in this way. 😃

And the Oscar goes to…

"A few significant findings emerged. The birds engaged in most calls for the maximum allowed time. They formed strong preferences—in the preliminary pilot study, Cunha’s bird Ellie, a Goffin’s cockatoo, became fast friends with a California-based African grey named Cookie. “It’s been over a year and they still talk,” Cunha says.

"According to Kleinberger, the types of vocalizations the birds used suggested they were mirroring the call and response nature they engage in in the wild—“hello, I’m here!” in parrot-speak."

(courtesy wolvendamien at Bluesky)

Eastern Screech Owls (Megascops asio), parent with chicks, family Strigidae, order Strigiformes, CT, USA

photograph by Ryan Zipp

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), family Strigidae, order Strigiformes, SE England

photograph by Ian (@turnipian)