In honor of World Laughter Day, bring some laughter to the kids in your life! Apply today for your kid to attend the Halberg Ecology Camp, a closed camp on US Forest Service property. Students can get the experience of a life time learning about the outdoors from over twenty teachers and professionals. This camp creates memories that last a life time! Scan the QR code to find out more or follow the link to our website. https://arbirds.org/EcologyCamp/ (fb)

Arkansas Audubon Society’s April Bird of the Month is the Clay-colored Sparrow! Clay-colored Sparrows are usually found in shrubby grasslands and open prairies. These birds winter in Mexico and southern Texas and migrate to the northern US and southern Canada to breed. These birds are unusual in Arkansas; it is usually seen in prairies during migration. These birds can be seen across the state, but it takes a little luck. The most common time to see these birds is between April and May or between September and November. Although these sparrows are one of the most numerous songbirds in their breeding habitat, they have been experiencing declines. Habitat loss has been one of the biggest drivers in the decline of this species. Clay-colored Sparrows can be masters of camouflage. They love to spend time low in dense grass, making it tough to get a good look at them. Your best shot at viewing these birds is when they perch up on a tall, open branch. Although at first glance they look like generic brown sparrows, they are subtly unique. They can be identified by their plain white belly, pale gray faces, a light crown stripe, and warm buffy tones along their sides. They can often be recognized by their dry, insect-like buzzy song, which sets them apart from other sparrow species. Male birds will return to the same nesting territory each year, but the females do not, meaning mating pairs typically do not stick together across years. When these birds are successful, the chicks usually leave the nest before they can fly! On average these chicks hop around on the ground for the first 6 to 8 days out of the nest until they are able to fly. Keep an eye out for our April bird of the month, and other migrants moving through the next few weeks! You never know what kind of bird you might see this time of year in Arkansas. Come back next month for our bird of the month in May! (fb)