Vol. 37 // See a bird thought to be extinct since the...

Volume 37 • December 2, 2022

Welcome to
🦜 The Flyer 🦜
by Flying Colors

Every other Friday, we share original content written by the Flying Colors team, fascinating stories & tidbits from the world of birding, curated products, epic bird photos, and more.

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Have you ever seen a leucistic bird?! (via @sugarmagnolia7)

Bird of the Week: The Northern Cardinal

Photo by Tom Murray (Flickr)

Found in the eastern United States and Mexico

Hear Their Calls

The Northern Cardinal is a brilliant flicker of rouge among lush treetops and blinding snowbanks alike—no wonder these birds are so well-known and beloved. The males have their trademark fiery feathers, and females share their upright crest, though they are more brown in coloring, with red accents. They’re a frequent backyard visitor who will eat many things, but especially love sunflowers.

Northern Cardinals of both sexes are extremely territorial, especially during nesting season. They are known to ferociously fight reflections of themselves seen in windows or car mirrors for hours. Both male and female Cardinals sing songs, and mated pairs share some common tunes.

Fun fact: The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven states.

Photo by Steve Harbula (Flickr)

Give a Hoot

Birding bits you should know about this week

Photo by Wild Side News

✨ Discover
The rediscovered Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon
It was thought to be extinct since 1882.

🧘 Meditate
Birding has big mental health benefits
And five ways to start birding (or go birding even more).

🕊️ A birding newsletter we love
Wild Side News

Birdwatching tour provider Nature Explorers Anguilla writes the lovely newsletter Wild Side News, which gives a closer look at all things wildlife on the Caribbean island of Anguilla. Follow the organization’s wetland restoration work, and see gorgeous photos of birds and other flora and fauna in paradise.

Need the Perfect Gift for Birders?

Look No Further!

Flying Colors’ stylish organic wild bird food is made with 100% USDA certified organic ingredients that birds love. Our three custom blends — Pine Plains, Woodstock, and Millbrook — are made with healthy, pesticide-free nuts and seeds like hemp, safflower, and sunflower and peanut hearts. And our products are hand-mixed with love in New York's Hudson Valley.

We love birds as much as you do, and it shows in our stylish and bird-friendly products.

SHOP NOW

Your Shot

An amazing bird photo taken by one of our community members. Submit yours to hello@flyingcolors.co to be considered for an upcoming edition!

And this was my true task, to be the
music of the body. Do you understand? for truly the body needs
a song, a spirit, a soul. And no less, to make this work,
the soul has need of a body,
and I am both of the earth and I am of the inexplicable
beauty of heaven
where I fly so easily, so welcome, yes,
and this is why I have been sent, to teach this to your heart.

– From “Red Bird” by Mary Oliver

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Questions? Ideas? Epic bird photos? Reach out at hello@flyingcolors.co

About Us

Flying Colors makes premium organic wild bird food, offering ethically sourced, toxin-free seeds and nuts of the highest quality to nourish wild birds of all types and inspire birders of all ages. Each specialty blend and single origin creation is rigorously sourced & researched, and every jar is produced with love & packaged by hand in small batches in New York's Hudson Valley and tested in our own backyards.

Vol. 37 // See a bird thought to be extinct since the late 1800s 😮