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Wilson Ornithological Society

@wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social
3.9K followers 737 following 1.5K posts

News and updates from the Wilson Ornithological Society, an international scientific society for professional and amateur bird nerds. 🐦 wilsonsociety.org

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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
How much do you know about eagles? Explore the ten most powerful eagles in the world in the article from BBC Wildlife Magazine. www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts...
discoverwildlife.com
"Its talons are as long as a grizzly bear's claws and its legs are as thick as a child's wrist." 10 most formidable, powerful eagles on the planet | Discover Wildlife
The harpy eagle surely justifies a nomination as the world’s most powerful eagle.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Advance articles from the WJO: Morphometric evidence for two subspecies of Belding’s Yellowthroat (Geothlypis beldingi) and implications for the species’ conservation status. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Geothlypis beldingi morphometric variation at six traits (CUL, culmen, MTL, middle toe length; TL, tail length; TRL, tarsus length; WC, wing chord; and M, body mass) among male and female birds sampled at the northern (San Ignacio) and southern (Santiago) distribution limits of the species in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The frontispiece of the current issue of The Wilson Journal of Ornithology is this gorgeous digital illustration of a White-wedged Piculet by artist Malén Aluhé Rubini Pisano! It was inspired by a paper in the issue on how these birds adapt to seasonal cycles of flooding and drought.
artist's illustration of White-wedged Piculet
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Do you have caregiving responsibilites (as a parent or otherwise) that add to the costs involved in attending scientific meetings? Apply for a Caregiver Grant by November 1 to get funding to help you attend WOS 2027! wilsonsociety.org/caregiver-gr...
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Need funding to help offset your travel costs to get to Nebraska for WOS 2027 next spring? Travel Grant applications are open until November 1! wilsonsociety.org/awards/trave...
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Mark Eaton @markaeaton.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Bar-tailed Godwit at Seaton Pt, Northumberland #waderwednesday
Bar-tailed Godwit taking off
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Dan Baldassarre @evornithology.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Interesting social science study here on attitudes toward the proposed renaming of eponymous bird species by @amornith.bsky.social. They surveyed 1,063 birders across 42 states and found 48% felt positively about renaming. 29% were neutral. besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Birds of many feathers? Examining perceptions among US birders following the American Ornithological Society's eponymous renaming decision
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: A review of the book The Gull Guide: North America by Amar Ayyash. "A compact and elegantly executed field guide." doi.org/10.1080/1559...
doi.org
Browse all journals
Browse all journals
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American Bird Conservancy @abcbirds.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Global Bird Rescue Week (September 21–28) is here! We’re highlighting one of the most significant threats birds face during migration: collisions with windows & buildings. 🪟 There are several ways to reduce collisions around your home. Learn more: abcbirds.info/4gTw2LV
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BioOne @bioone.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Explore #raptor research with the latest BioOne Vista —featuring The Journal of Raptor Research, Anthropozoologica @publimnhn.bsky.social, Ardeola, Journal of Wildlife Diseases, Northwestern Naturalist, The Wilson Journal of Ornithology @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social, and more. bio-one.co/raptors
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
From the current WJO issue - A review of the book No Island Too Far: Searching for Seabirds on Remote Specks of Land by Michael Brooke. "Armchair travelers, would-be field assistants, and those who have worked on seabirds elsewhere will find much to enjoy." doi.org/10.1080/1559...
doi.org
No island too far: searching for seabirds on remote specks of land
Published in The Wilson Journal of Ornithology (Vol. 138, No. 3, 2026)
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Your Tuesday bird break: Read this story about an effort to scientifically determine which birdsong is the most beautiful. (Via Audubon Magazine.) www.audubon.org/magazine/mos...
audubon.org
Which Birdsong Is the Most Beautiful? Here's What Scientists Found
In a new study of European bird species, participants picked the Eurasian Blackbird’s serenade as the most pleasing thanks to acoustic qualities that seem to have universal appeal.
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The Institute for Bird Populations @instbirdpop.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Here's the clue for this week's #BitOBird game! Can you ID this bird from just this little bit? (Note: we stick to North American birds, if not we’ll tell you.) 1st to reply w/ the correct answer gets bird nerd bragging rights. If you're stumped, we'll post the answer in 2 hrs 🪶
The clue for the #BitOBird game: a close-up photo of a portion of a bird.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
In the market for a new pair of binoculars? WOS members receive a 15% discount on purchases from Kowa Optics. Just log into our online member portal and click "Member Benefits." 👀
wilson.wildapricot.org
Wilson Ornithological Society - Home
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Use of Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) nests by meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius). #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Closeup of Nest A, showing additional nesting material and lining added by adult meadow jumping mouse nesting in Nest A on 7/1/2024.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Mercury in secondary feathers of depredated versus living Leach’s Storm-Petrels (Hydrobates leucorhous). #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
leach's storm-petrel flying low over waves
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Peter Santema @petersantema.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
New #ornithology paper out in @ecography.bsky.social! The tendency of birds to return to the same breeding area in different years varies wildly among species. We show that breeding site fidelity is much lower in #shorebirds nesting in the #Arctic tundra than in those nesting in other habitats. 1/n
Map showing the geographic locations of shorebird populations included in the study, alongside four Arctic-breeding shorebird species with low breeding-site fidelity: Red Phalarope, Long-billed Dowitcher, White-rumped Sandpiper, and Pectoral Sandpiper.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Happy Friday! We hope you get to go outside and see some fall migrants this weekend. 🐦️
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The Institute for Bird Populations @instbirdpop.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Did you ask for a bird fact? No, but you're getting one whether you like it or not. 🪶
Photo by Frank D. Lospalluto of two Brown Creepers snuggled under an eave with their head tucked into the seam between 2 wood panels and their  back feathers fluffed up. Text on the graphic says "Unsolicited Bird Fact: During the fall and winter Brown Creepers like to cuddle. They are often observed snuggled together in small groups at sheltered roost sites, presumably to stay warm. Once young are fledged, parents roost separately. But young birds will sometimes roost together in larger groups. In Michigan, a group of about 6 young creepers were observed roosting in a tight circle with their beaks pointed towards the center.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Need a bird break today? Read about a long-running study of wild chickadee cognition in California's Sierra Nevada. www.sciencenews.org/article/wild...
sciencenews.org
Winter work shows it really pays to be a smart mountain chickadee
By studying chickadee cognition in the wild, researchers learned smarter birds stay smart in old age, produce more young and have better gut bacteria.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Tracking Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) habitat use within a disturbance-dependent ecosystem. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Proportion of forest types within the KD95 and KD50 utilization ranges at different times of night. KD95 at individual time points appears lighter than KD50, but colors remain consistent. Blank times are due to fewer than five location points being collected at that time. The dashed line represents the KD95 for each bird’s home range across all timepoints, and each GPS fix recorded at the specified time is represented by yellow dots.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Community-science sourced evidence of vocal mimicry in Perisoreus jays. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Gray Jay perched in bare branches
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American Naturalist / ASN 🐌 @asn-amnat.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
It’s not you, it’s your song. In a new study, Luo et al. show that song and morphological differences may reduce gene flow between white-crowned sparrow subspecies. Available now ahead of print! www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
The American Naturalist classic cover
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Adrift Lab (Marine Science) @adriftlab.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
One of the most important plots we’ve ever made helped us answer a question we’re constantly asked: “is the amount of ingested plastic increasing?” Answer: yes, there’s been a sustained and rapid increase in #plastics in Sable #Shearwaters since 2021
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Abstract submissions for WOS 2027 are due November 1! Don't miss your chance to share your research while enjoying crane migration in Nebraska next spring. #ornithology wos2027.org/call-for-abs...
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Like books? Like birds? Like books about birds? WOS members receive a 30% discount on books from @princetonupress.bsky.social. Just log into our online portal and click on "Member Benefits."
wilson.wildapricot.org
Wilson Ornithological Society - Home
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BioOne @bioone.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
In honor of International Hawk Migration Week (September 12-20), explore raptor conservation, behavior, and physiology in the latest BioOne Vista research collection. Every article is free to read through October 15, 2026. bio-one.co/raptors #Raptors #Ornthology #HawkWatch #HawkMigration #SciSky
BioOne Vista. Discover raptor research in BioOne Complete. Free to read through October 15. Photo of a rough-legged hawk in flight.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Fatal bird-window collisions in an urban area of Costa Rica during the autumn migrations of 2018 and 2019. doi.org/10.1080/1559... #ornithology
Study area (inside white line polygons) at the Universidad de Costa Rica campus, with the location of: seven systematically surveyed buildings (A: Odontology, B: Social Sciences, C: Engineering, D: Agronomical Sciences Library, E: Biology, F: Biology Annex, and G: Medicine Library) and three non-systematically surveyed buildings (H: Medicine, I: Arts, and J: Law).
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Jocelyn Anderson Photography @jocelynanderson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
This female Pileated Woodpecker was hammering away on a tree when a Sharp-shinned Hawk landed nearby, followed by the hawk being promptly dive-bombed by Blue Jays. After the hawk left, the Pileated decided to head out for a different, and probably quieter, tree.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Two records of chromatic alteration in the White-eared Hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis). #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
White-eared Hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis) with likely “ino” type chromatic alteration, observed in a patch of beardtongue (Penstemon roseus) in the Nevado de Colima Volcano National Park. It had a pink bill and legs, regular eye color, and almost white feathers with brown-cream hues on the head, back, wings, and tail.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
FINAL REMINDER: Proposals for workshops, symposiums, and special events for WOS 2027 are due THURSDAY! wos2027.org/call-for-wor...
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BirdLife International @birdlifeglobal.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Discover the State of the World’s Birds!🐦 This sixth edition by BirdLife International focuses on migratory birds and their flyways, and what they reveal about the state of nature, the drivers of biodiversity loss, and the solutions needed to reverse declines.🗺️ Find it here👉 sowb.birdlife.org
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Your Friday bird read: What scientists are learning from a feather fossilized inside dinosaur feces. (Via NPR.) www.npr.org/2026/09/10/n...
npr.org
A fossil feather from the age of dinosaurs may explain why only some birds survived
An extremely well preserved fossil feather could reveal why some birds survived the dinosaur-killing asteroid, and others did not.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Breeding biology and parental care of the Unicolored Blackbird (Agelasticus cyanopus). #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
The different stages of a nestling cycle and brood parasitism of the Unicolored Blackbird (Agelasticus cyanopus): (a) clutch with four host eggs, (b) brood parasite egg (Shiny Cowbird, Molothrus bonariensis) and host egg damaged, (c) 1-day-old nestling found in January 2017, (d) 5-day-old nestlings found in January 2017, (e) 10-day-old nestling found in January 2017, and (f) female with two Shiny Cowbird fledglings.
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Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk · 10/09/2026
Long-distance navigation is no easy feat, but for some seabirds it can involve traversing hundreds of kilometres of open ocean New research led by @plewin.bsky.social shows that even if Manx shearwaters can sense the earth’s magnetism, they don't rely on it to get home 👇
bit.ly
Homing shearwaters don’t need magnetic sense to navigate
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Jocelyn Anderson Photography @jocelynanderson.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Parkour! 📷: Green Heron
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Ant-dominated diet suggests year-round trophic specialization in White-wedged Piculet (Picumnus albosquamatus) in the seasonally flooded northern Pantanal. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
doi.org
Browse all journals
Browse all journals
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Do you have caregiving responsibilites (as a parent or otherwise) that add to the costs involved in attending scientific meetings? Apply for a Caregiver Grant by November 1 to get funding to help you attend WOS 2027! wilsonsociety.org/caregiver-gr...
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Did you know that we have our very own library and members can request to borrow books, journal articles, etc free of charge? Details here! -->
wilsonsociety.org
Josselyn Van Tyne Memorial Library
The Wilson Ornithological Society’s library was founded in 1930.
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Hannah Clipp, PhD @allthatwildlife.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Presenting... the 4th paper from my post-doctoral fellowship with the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station! 🧪 Research article title: "Tree species distributions modify decadal trajectories of bird species habitat suitability 🪶 predicted by climate change" Link: doi.org/10.1016/j.ge...
Image of one of the figures from the research article referenced in the post. The figure is a series of 16 maps of the eastern USA, arranged in 4 columns and 4 rows, showing bird species incidence (a metric of relative abundance) for 4 bird species during 4 different decades spanning the 2000s, 2030s, 2060s, and 2080s.
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) migration and breeding phenologies and nest survival in response to climate change. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Study area for examining climate variation, nest initiation, and nest survival of Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) nests from 2008 to 2024 in the lower Platte River system, Nebraska, USA.
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German Ornithological Society @dornitholges.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Now online in Journal of #Ornithology Relationships between nest site, breeding time, laying order, and egg characteristics with a stress hormone in Whiskered Tern link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
Relationships between nest site, breeding time, laying order, and egg characteristics with a stress hormone in Whiskered Tern - Journal of Ornithology
Stress during egg-laying and chick rearing significantly impacts egg quality and reproductive success. This stress can be transmitted from parents to offspring through hormones, adversely affecting em...
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Noise reduction during the COVID-19 shutdown alleviated compensatory signalling behavior of male Mountain Chickadees (Poecile gambeli). #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
a mountain chickadee perched on a snowy evergreen branch
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Need funding to help offset your travel costs to get to Nebraska for WOS 2027 next spring? Travel Grant applications are open until November 1! wilsonsociety.org/awards/trave...
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Louise Blight @louiseblight.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
What a Spotted Towhee looks like without tail feathers. Love how their bright red eye always stands out. #BrightAccents #BirdOfTheDay #birds #towhee #wildlifephotography
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Rosemary Mosco @rosemarymosco.com · 04/09/2026
Do any Floridian ornithologists follow me? I'm looking for three birds that eat caterpillars and might get fooled by a giant swallowtail's poop mimicry. I've narrowed them down to Painted Bunting, Northern Mockingbird, and Red-winged Blackbird. Are those good choices?
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Heads up: The deadline to propose a workshop, symposium, or special event for WOS 2027 is less than two weeks away! wos2027.org/call-for-wor...
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Breeding performance of Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) at three urban sites. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
a red cardinal perched among green leaves
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The Institute for Bird Populations @instbirdpop.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Did you ask for a bird fact? No, but you're getting a bunch of them in this thread whether you like it or not. 🪶 1. Florida Scrub-Jays only occur in Florida & they are cooperative breeders! Young birds stay with their parents for an extra year & help raise the next batch of their youngest siblings.
Photos of a Florida Scrub-Jay by Dennis Church, a Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay by John Breitsch, an Island Scrub-Jay by Tom Benson and a California Scrub-Jay by Doug Greenberg. Test on the graphic says: Unsolicited Bird Fact Scrub-Jay Edition
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Wilson Ornithological Society @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
From the current WJO issue: Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) prey selection in Virginia during spring migration. #ornithology doi.org/10.1080/1559...
Mean density (m2) ± standard error of prey groups (clams, crustaceans, insects, mussels) captured in core samples on sand (n = 485 cores) and peat (n = 267 cores) substrate on Virginia’s barrier islands, 14–27 May 2017–2018.
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