Crows Have Funerals? And Wakes?

In this issue: Who’s That Bird, Bat Evolution, and DIY Bird Costumes

Trouble viewing this e-mail? Try our web version. |  Joy of Birds  October 2026 Photo: John Alexander Kay/Audubon Photography Awards Guess the Bird in 3 Clues Feel a chill up your spine? It’s another scary-good round of “Who’s That Bird!” Using the silhouetted image above and three hints below, can you guess the bird? Clue #1: This songbird isn't known for its musical talents, but like the similar-looking Northern Mockingbird, it is a skilled vocal mimic. Clue #2: Our mystery species doesn’t have the typical songbird diet, preferring to feast on a wide range of animals, from lizards to other birds. Clue #3: Nicknamed the “butcher bird," this species is famous for impaling its prey on everything from tree thorns and branches to barbed wire. Here’s a bonus hint: this bird’s four-letter banding code, which researchers often use as shorthand for species' names, is “NSHR.” Click here to learn more about this bird and reveal the answer. Big Brown Bat. Photo: bombadilslilies/iNaturalist CC BY-NC How Bats Stole the Night From Birds For a long time, birds ruled the skies. Then, 52 to 65 million years ago, bats took flight and quickly conquered the night skies. Even though bats are just as ecologically vital as birds, they’re often misunderstood. This Halloween, discover a new appreciation for bats and how they evolved alongside birds. Photos from left: Black-necked Stilt, Peter Brannon/Audubon Photography Awards; Jimena Peck Need Halloween Costume Ideas? Turn to Birds! With Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to pay homage to some of nature’s most fashionable icons. Learn how to make a DIY bird costume with this guide from Denver Audubon communications manager Dori Edwards. American Crows. Photo: Kaeli Swift Think Crow Funerals Are Strange? The Wakes Are Even Weirder Grief comes in stages: denial, anger, bargaining… necrophilia? When some American Crows come across a dead crow, they don’t just mourn. They may try to mate with it! It’s shocking to our human sensibilities, but experts have a few theories about what’s going on. Find out why these clever birds sometimes have a morbid way of honoring the dead. Great Horned Owl. Photo: Mark Mitchell/Audubon Photography Awards Treat Birds to a Gift This Halloween With their haunting hoots, glowing eyes, silent flight, and fierce hunting skills, Great Horned Owls have long been part of Halloween lore. Complete your Halloween decor with this Great Horned Owl plush when you donate today. Did you receive this message from a friend? Get regular email updates from us by clicking here. → CONNECT WITH US National Audubon Society 225 Varick Street New York, NY (844) 428-3826 | www.audubon.org © 2026 National Audubon Society Update your email preferences or unsubscribe