Field guides for the backyard ornithologist
Long-form, specification-driven guides — written the way a nest-trail monitor would explain it, and linked to the exact gear each job requires.
Eastern Bluebird: Nest Boxes, Diet, and Season-by-Season Care
Everything a backyard host needs to draw Eastern Bluebirds to a box and keep the brood alive: hole diameter, mounting height, predator defense, and what they actually eat.
9 min read · Updated 2026-03-12
Black-capped Chickadee: The Backyard Anchor Species
Chickadees lead the winter feeding flock, remember thousands of cache sites, and will use a nest box filled with wood shavings. Here is how to host them properly.
8 min read · Updated 2026-02-28
Northern Cardinal: Feeder Setup, Cover, and Year-Round Presence
Cardinals are heavy-billed, cover-loving, dawn-and-dusk feeders. Match the perch, the seed, and the shrub line and they will stay all winter.
7 min read · Updated 2026-01-30
How to Stop Squirrels on Hopper Feeders — Without Harming Them
Squirrel problems are geometry problems. Get the pole, the baffle, and the clearance distances right and the raiding stops for good.
8 min read · Updated 2026-03-02
Correct Entrance-Hole Sizes by Bird Species
The entrance hole decides who nests and who is excluded. A reference table plus the reasoning behind every dimension.
6 min read · Updated 2026-02-10
How to Clean and Disinfect Wooden Birdhouses
A ten-minute routine between broods that cuts parasite loads and disease transmission — with the right dilution, drying time, and protective gear.
6 min read · Updated 2026-02-18
Preventing Window Strikes: What Actually Works
Single decals do not work. Two-inch spacing on the outside surface does. A practical guide to making your glass visible to birds.
6 min read · Updated 2026-01-22
Attracting Songbirds in the Northeast: Winter
December through February in the Northeast: high-fat food, open water, dense cover, and the resident flock you can realistically expect.
7 min read · Updated 2026-01-08