#Spread Wing

What do bird feathers have to do with art? Come with Jessie as she explores the connection between nature and art with a visit to @nhmla's bird collections. Watch the full episode of Becoming Artsy at youtube.com/gettymuseum and subscribe for more.

Sneak peek from this weekend’s first annual Avicultural Meet & Greet at ARICCenter. What an incredible gathering of passionate bird people from all over—old friends, new faces, and a shared love for aviculture. More photos and videos coming soon… stay tuned! 🦜#aviculture #beautifulbirds

Still riding the high from the 2026 Unified Avicultural Meet & Greet at the Avian Research Institute & Conservation Center. Nearly 200 people from across the country (and beyond) gathered for one shared passion—aviculture. The conversations, friendships, and knowledge exchanged this weekend were something special. Proof that this hobby is very much alive. More photos and videos coming soon. 🦜🔥 #aviculture #beautifulbirds #conservation #ariccenter

Discover the art of conservation. #History #Conservation #Art

What do you know about birds? Ten years ago, that question kicked off this page. Somehow, this is now my 2,000th post. In a decade where social media has shifted, sped up, and reinvented itself more times than I can count, I’ve tried to use this space to slow things down—to show what researchers are doing, what conservationists are working toward, and why birds are worth paying attention to. If you’ve stumbled onto this page at any point along the way and learned even one small thing about birds, then this space has done what I hoped it would. So I went with a smattering of videos that have been popular over the years from the many research projects- let’s see if you can name all the birds- have you been following along for that long? All birds handled with proper permits and training. Never handle wild birds without them. For more information check out my first pinned post.

Wood Stork is coming off the Endangered Species Act list. USFWS announced the Southeast U.S. population (Mycteria americana) is recovered enough to be delisted, with a 10-year post-delisting monitoring plan. The change becomes final March 9, 2026.  This one is a legit conservation comeback story. Listed in 1984 after major declines tied to wetland loss, then downlisted to threatened in 2014, and now removed from ESA protections.  Now the real test: can we keep wetlands wet, protected, and functional when the spotlight moves on. #wildlife #birds #birdsofinstagram #conservation #ornithology

Watch as Heather, one of the Bird Museum’s staff members, opens a cabinet containing a beautiful treasure! This captive Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) is from 2003 and was collected from the now-closed Marlboro College in Vermont. This male peafowl, referred to as a peacock, has kept its dazzling color for so long because it has been stored in a cabinet away from any light that may fade its color. All of our eggs, nests, study skins are stored in cabinets away from any light, insects, and moisture in order to preserve them for research!

In the dry thickets of the savannah, a master weaver is at work, turning raw plant fibers into a sophisticated hanging fortress. This remarkable bird spends days meticulously interlocking soft materials to create a nest that is not only flexible but incredibly durable against the elements. The strategic placement on thorny branches serves as a natural defense mechanism, ensuring that the offspring remain safe from climbing predators. It is a perfect demonstration of how specialized behavior evolves to meet specific environmental challenges. ​Dr. Elena Rossi from the International Ornithology Union explains that this "felt-weaving" technique is one of the most advanced construction methods in the avian world. By utilizing the tensile strength of spider silk, the bird creates a structure that can expand as the chicks grow. This fascinating footage has already captivated nature enthusiasts globally, generating over 215,000 views and 38,000 likes in just 12 hours. As urban sprawl increases, documenting these natural wonders reminds us of the intricate beauty we must protect. For more content, follow @discover.hq ​#AvianArchitecture #BirdNest #SurvivalInstinct #NatureEngineering #WildlifeDiscovery EcoSystem WildCreatures

Birds are flying in from volunteer bird Sewists across the US! Thank you to everyone dedicating their time and skills to making this project a reality. We are making over 10,000 bird replicas and we need all the help we can get. This box arrived from a Kara G. from Farmington Hills, MI - massive thank you Kara!! #savethebirds #crowdsourcing #sustainableartspractice #birdsafeglass #birdcollisionsintheanthropocene

Another great presentation by Josiah Lavender.

Carving these feathers was a labor of love and an exercise in patience. And, though perhaps not conventionally attractive with their wrinkly bald heads and carcass-tearing beaks, these birds are truly beautiful - down to every last feather. And I solute you my fine feathered friends - Happy Bird Week! ➡️Join our mailing list at the link in our bio or at www.endangered-species-project.org #endangeredspecies #endangeredspeciesproject #californiacondor #baldisbeautiful #californiawildlife