Birds feasting!
What birds eat can tell us more than just what’s for lunch—it offers a window into migration, habitat, and the hidden flow of energy through ecosystems. By analyzing isotopes in feathers, scientists can trace a bird’s diet and movement, revealing how elements and nutrients (and sometimes toxins) travel through the food web. In the Bay Area, birds’ diets are as varied as their beaks and habitats—from a Cedar Waxwing plucking toyon berries to a Pigeon Guillemot gulping a gunnel, or a White-tailed Kite grasping a rodent in midair. This gallery captures those moments of feeding—beautiful, vital, sometimes brutal—and invites us to consider the deep connections between birds, their food, and the places they call home.
