Laura Tangley’s Archive

Buntings at bird feeder by Bernard Friel

Summer Bird Feeding: the Case For and Against

Should you take your bird feeders down for the summer? The answer may depend on where you live. Ever since I started feeding backyard birds several years ago, I’ve religiously … Read more

Swamp milkweed and monarch butterfly by Victor Quintanilla

Monarch Butterflies in a Changing World

On a recent trip to California, I stopped by Natural Bridges State Beach, a lovely seaside protected area in Santa Cruz that’s best known for the monarch butterflies that overwinter there. … Read more

Certified Wildlife Habitat, Washington, DC

Wildlife Gardening: Don’t Forget the Neighbors

When I bought a house on a large corner lot a decade ago, I was in a hurry to convert the lawn as quickly as possible to a lush, plant-filled … Read more

Cedar waxwing feeding on white mulberry

Nonnative Plants: Ecological Traps?

When I moved into my first house several years ago, it was also the first time I’d ever had my own yard—and with a double lot located on a corner, … Read more

Barred Owl by Peggy Hanna

Things That Go Bump—or Hoot—in the Night: 5 Animals You May Hear While Camping in Your Yard

Welcome to June, officially designated as Great Outdoors Month by the federal government and several states across the country. Here at the National Wildlife Federation, we’ll be celebrating the outdoors in … Read more

Brown Pelican by Kelle Herrick

Back from the Brink: A Photo Gallery of Birds Helped by the Endangered Species Act

This Friday, May 18, 2012, the nation celebrates Endangered Species Day. To mark the event, we’re sharing photos of five North American bird species that represent endangered species success stories. … Read more

Ruby-throated hummingbird by Bud Hensley

Four Tips For Attracting Hummingbirds

Here in the MidAtlantic region, ruby-throated hummingbirds are just starting to show up, returning from their wintering grounds in Central America and Mexico to breed across much of eastern North … Read more

Male rose-breasted grosbeak by Michelle Wisniewski

Bird of the Week: Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Glancing out the window at my feeder last weekend, I noticed something unusual: a streaky, buff-breasted, brown bird that was larger—and had a much bigger bill—than the dozen or so … Read more

Northern pintails by Larry Hitchens

Ready to Fight the Stealth Attack on Wildlife? Part Two: Northern Pintails

It’s easy to see why the northern pintail is known as the “greyhound of the air.” A long, slender, small-headed and long-necked duck—propelled by narrow, elongated wings—the sleek pintail seems … Read more

American goldfinch by Lara Hardesty

Bird of the Week: American Goldfinch

A few years ago, the editors of National Wildlife magazine asked readers to vote for which North American bird species they’d most like to see. In the emails and letters … Read more