Awesome Birds

You might think that pigeons are dumb birds that poop on statues, but these avians are so much more than their “rats with wings” reputation. Ze Frank explains what pigeons are up to when they bob their heads, their mating habits, their trainability, and how they have a really good sense of direction.

Artist LeopARTnik creates hilarious short animations by drawing arms on birds. This compilation video shows some of his best doodles from 2023, including a bird putting a guitar smackdown on a kitten, a chicken on tiny skis, and a parrot that washes windows. Quantastic put together a couple more videos of his work.

Based on Matt Kracht’s snarky bestseller Field Guide to Dumb Birds, this irreverent bird-watching journal gives you a place to take field notes about stupid stuff that our bird-brained feathered friends do. It also include funny-but-true bird facts, tips, and flighty comments that lighten the mood and enlighten human do-dos.

At first glance, you might think this was a painting of a hummingbird. But it is neither a painting nor a hummingbird. Hit play on the video, and you’ll see what we mean. Artist Thomas Deininger creates these incredible mixed media sculptures of birds, bees, and other animals that defy expectations when viewed from any angle other than straight on.

Ryan Cook is a master at carving sculptures with his chainsaw and hand tools. Most of his works are in wood, but he made this amazing sculpture of a toucan out of ice. He carved the intricate bird from a single block of ice and finished the entire bird in just two hours. We can’t decide if the crystal clear beak or the feathers are our favorite part.

We always assumed that crows find their food with their beaks. But it turns out that some of them use sticks to fish prey out of trees. In this True Facts video from Ze Frank, we learn about this unusual adaptation and why New Caledonian crows are some of the smartest birds. We think it’s just an excuse for him to say “crow’s stick” repeatedly.

This award-winning animated film from École des Nouvelles Images drops us onto an island where a volcanic eruption threatens a flock of birds. As the cloud of dust and lava bursts into the sky, two birds try their best to save their eggs from disaster. The short does a great job of ramping up the tension while remaining lighthearted in its approach.

Red Side has compared the speeds of aircraft, spaceships, and other vehicles; now they’re back to show the differences in flying speeds of birds – or, in the case of penguins, chickens, and kiwis, how fast they can walk or run. Who here knew a seagull was faster than Usain Bolt?

Inspired by how hummingbirds hover in flight, Works by Design wanted to see if he could build a flying machine that lifts off vertically and stays aloft by flapping its wings. It uses compressed gas for propulsion and a custom-built air motor to move its wings. It’s not an efficient method of flight, but it was cool to observe the engineering process.

Most of us rely on our phones or watches to tell us the time. But there’s something just so magical about using letting a mechanical bird announce the time instead. Clock Shop posted this video of a roomful of cuckoo clocks sounding off in sequence. We like to imagine they’re all saying “Here!” like an avian roll call.

This unique metal bird feeder offers a wonderful spot to observe birds, squirrels, and other wildlife as they enjoy a little fruit. It features a perch behind the house and a sharp point that can be hammered into a tree trunk for stability. Each is made in the USA from 1/8″ Corten steel, which will weather to a rich patina over the years.

Whether you’re a cat that likes to watch birds or a human that likes to watch videos, this clever bird feeder from Fred has got you covered. It attaches to the outside of your window and provides a live stream of birds wrapped in a frame that looks like the controls for a YouTube video. There should be a “Skip Squirrel” button.

Multimedia artist Kelly Heaton makes these unique synthesizer circuits in the shape of birds. Not only do they look like our fine feathered friends, but the sounds they make are reminiscent of birdsong. Check out Kelly’s Instagram for more of her wonderful electronic projects.

While keeping an eye out on a neighborhood tree, a birdwatcher witnesses one bird murdering another. After realizing what he has seen, the bird tries to protect its secret. Charlie Hankin wrote, directed, and animated this darkly comic short film that sort of combines Hitchcock’s Rear Window and The Birds.

Musician and streamer Drew on the Kit likes to take viral videos and improvise drum beats to them. We’ve compiled a few of our favorite clips into a YouTube playlist, including cats, dogs, birds, and people doing their thing with a new rhythm section. You can catch his live stream performances on Twitch.

Artist Penny Thomson makes these amazing moving sculptures of birds, dragons, faeries, and other creatures. Each one uses a crank and precisely-placed stiff wires to bring it to life. Her works go up for sale on her Etsy shop from time to time, but they sell out almost instantly.