Chirp Chat

Piping plover season is officially underway in Wisconsin, and this year marks a decade since they started nesting in Green Bay after being gone for more than 70 years.

If you want to welcome more birds to your yard this spring, it’s important to think beyond bird feeders. Growing native plants can create a year-round bird sanctuary.

It’s almost nesting season for Barred Owls! For a second year, the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center will give people a look into the lives of Barred Owls with a nest box camera.

Looking for a hobby to try out this new year? Give birding a try! Milwaukee Public Library recently added birding kits to its catalog of things you can check out.

Lake Michigan’s shoreline is a great place for duck-watching in the winter. Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and Greater Scaup are species you’ll regularly see.

The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is an international collaborative research network that uses small radio transmitters to track bird movement. The transmitters are fitted onto birds like tiny backpacks.

Fall migration is here, and among the birds migrating to warmer climates from Wisconsin are Chimney Swifts. The small, fast-flying birds are known for the tornado-like dance they perform in the sky.

Did you know Milwaukee is a city for the birds? Bird City is a conservation program that brings folks together to create healthier communities for birds and people. And Milwaukee is just one of 82 official Bird Cities in Wisconsin.

Aaron Grych, the lead singer, producer and songwriter for the indie rock band, says the new album combines his love for birding and music, while also telling stories through a bird's eye-view.

The American Robin is one of the most common birds in North America. You’ve probably seen one in your backyard or been woken up by one before sunrise. But did you know this iconic bird is also Wisconsin’s state bird?

Artist-in-Residence Hattie Grimm is the creator of the Charles Allis Art Museum’s new art exhibit called “BIRD BODY”. The exhibit features 20 wooden paintings and sculptures that she says explore “our bodies' intuitive wisdom.”

Warblers are small songbirds that are among the most celebrated by birders for their flashy colors and sweet songs. But most warblers only spend a few weeks in Milwaukee.

Spring is in the air — which means nest-making season is upon us! For this month’s Chirp Chat, Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez spoke with Holly Walz, a park naturalist with the Wehr Nature Center, about the role nests play and the different types of nests that birds in Wisconsin make.

Joining a local birding club or meeting other people at birding events can bring you a sense of belonging and teach you things you didn’t know. No matter how experienced you are.

For this month’s Chirp Chat, Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez spoke with Toby Seegert, the Regional Conservation Specialist for the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. He says winter is a great time to keep backyard bird feeders stocked so you can help birds stay nourished through the season.

Celebrate birds this holiday season through the National Audubon Society’s 125th annual Christmas Bird Count. For this episode of Chirp Chat, Milwaukee area Christmas Bird Count organizer, Zoe Finney, explains the history of the bird census, how to participate and how the data helps protect birds.

You can go on an owl prowl to spot some of these nocturnal predators. Owl prowls are nighttime hikes in the woods where you listen for the calls of owls to help you get a glimpse of them.

Window collisions are a leading cause of bird deaths, causing up to 3.5 billion bird deaths in the U.S. each year. They're even more common in the fall when both adult birds and their offspring migrate. But there are various ways to make your home more bird-friendly.

Earlier this summer, Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez spent the day with scientists and Urban Ecology Center campers to learn about bird banding, a way of tracking bird behavior by safely catching, tagging and measuring birds.

The International Crane Foundation, based in Baraboo, works around the world to save cranes and the ecosystems they depend on. Lake Effect producer Xcaret Nuñez spent a day at its headquarters to learn about the ICF's conservation work with sandhill cranes and whooping cranes.

Think back to a time in your life when you saw a bird that piqued your interest and made you want to learn more about birds. That’s your spark bird! For this month’s Chirp Chat, Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez asked listeners to share the moment they discovered their spark bird.

It’s peak birding season in Wisconsin, and if you look high in the sky, you’ll likely see some raptors soaring. Raptors like hawks, owls and vultures sometimes get a bad reputation, but these birds of prey play a huge ecological role.

If you've been outside lately, chances are you've heard Robins, Finches and Red-winged blackbirds singing out to let you know it’s the start of spring migration. But the best is yet to come.

The American Ornithological Society promised last November to rename all birds with English names, along with any other bird names deemed offensive and exclusionary. That includes birds like Cooper’s hawk, Wilson’s warbler, Franklin’s gull, and dozens more.

With the sun shining a little more lately, you may have noticed more birds chirping — making it a great time to head outdoors and explore our feathered friends.