Here in New York City, the weather is finally starting to warm up. This means I'm finally able to sit outside and enjoy the rare luxury of living somewhere with a backyard. Now, the shared space isn't fancy. My neighbors like to party and leave evidence of that pretty much everywhere. But after I pick up their cans and straighten up the chairs around the fire pit, things don't look half bad. And I can sit and watch the birds in peace. There's a surprisingly diverse variety of avian life on our…

Whoever said dogs were "Man's Best Friend" forgot to include penguins, raccoons , salmon, and all animals in the animal kingdom. Animals are the light of our lives. They all deserve parades and non-toxic cakes celebrating their existence. Disney's Animal Kingdom is just that; a theme park devoted to celebrating animals 365 days a year. They say it's not a zoo, but it's totally a zoo. Animal Kingdom is 33% depictions of wildlife in Asia and Africa, 33% Pandora the World of Avatar, and 33% Dinola…

My favorite birds are Big Bird, Sam The Eagle, and Camila, the Chicken . Accuse me of liking muppets more than natural wildlife all you want; that true statement doesn't phase me. All muppets fans know that there are very few girl characters in the franchise. Even though she can't technically speak, I'm glad that the chicken that dates Gonzo is representing for the ladies. Sam The Eagle is an essential member of the Muppets company because he's decidedly ungoofy. This man means business and is…

Squidward smells...good

I have a question for you. Do you like animals? If you answered yes, I have a second question for you. Do you like animals that aren't just cats and dogs? If you answered yes to both of these questions, congratulations! You will probably enjoy the animal memes that lie before you. I constantly think about what it means to truly be an animal lover, and I've finally cracked the code. In the world, there are animal lovers , and then there are pet lovers. Some people are literally addicted to havin…

It's easy to take birds for granted, especially when you live in an urban setting. The prevalence of pigeons, sparrows, and starlings here in New York is such that you can forget that they're kind of cool. Yes, even the pigeons. The hatred humans have for them has long been dispelled as misguided and unfair. In fact, contempt for pigeons didn't really exist until humans started building cities – and pigeons started adapting. Which is exactly what most humans were doing, too. Whenever I leave th…

Not every meme is unique, and that's how it should be! Some memes work just well enough to get you to blow some air out of your nose. Some memes will make you cackle, but those are few and far between. In the meantime, it's perfectly acceptable to scroll through middling memes that aren't reinventing the wheel. As RuPaul Charles once said, "You ain't got to reinvent the wheel! The wheel is fine, girl." Nobody should be shamed for having basic taste in memes. You're probably better off for it! I…

Last weekend at the Grammy Awards , two things happened. Beyoncé set a record for winning the most Grammys of any artist at 29 Grammys. She also lost the Album of the Year award to Harry's House . Bey Hive members were understandably upset by this loss. After all, Beyonce has never won the coveted award, even after years of unparalleled triumphs at the Grammys. Some Grammy voters have said they didn't want to vote for Adele or Beyoncé because they've won enough already, which I find ridiculous.…

It's an exciting and heartbreaking time to be a bird nerd . A birdwatcher, or a birder, if you will. Avian critters are migrating, which means we get to see rare breeds on their journeys to a warmer climate. But there have been some obstacles in their way, especially in urban areas such as New York City . You see, birds and skyscrapers don't get along. They fly into the crystal-clear glass windows of luxury condos and office buildings, and often die from the impact. Cheerful, huh? That's on top…

This one's for all of you bird lovers out there. On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree . On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me two turtledoves and a partridge in a pear tree. On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me three French hens, two turtledoves, and a partridge in a pear tree. On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me four calling birds, three French hens, two turtledoves and a partridge in a pear tr…

I consider myself a novice birder. Due to my "gainful" employment, I don't have the leisure time to indulge in the wholesome activity, so I play Wingspan to try to ease the agony of deprivation. Last night, the game's tranquil soundtrack helped me drift off to sleep. There's something about the sound of sweetly chirping birds and the twinkling of a harp that is so soothing. Playing Wingspan, which was undoubtedly created with birders in mind, is as near to board game therapy as it gets, dependi…

It seems like everyone and their mom, and their grandpa, and their cousin, is getting into birdwatching . “Birding” if you're nasty. The hobby is pretty much as wholesome as they come. It incorporates all of our favorite things: animals, the great outdoors, competition, and sometimes even socializing. It's also one of the most accessible activities a person can get into. Even in the craziest, busiest, and steeliest metropolises, there are birds to be seen in parks and even nesting on towering s…

I love birdwatching. And it seems like that love is shared with an increasing amount of people. Birdwatching has actually become the the fastest growing hobby in the United States. In 2011 there were just over 45 thousand birdwatchers in the country. That number is absolutely dwarfed by the 2020 statistics, which reveal that there were 15.23 million birders making themselves known. A staggering increase. It's understandable that the pastime would see a resurgence. During the darkest days of the…

The birding community is a special one. In my experience, they take care of the land where they're seeking a glimpse of the next rare bird. They smile at their fellow binocular-ed passersby, share good spots (but not all of them), and pick up trash as they go on their way. The hobby is (mostly) a respectable one, involving an appreciation for living things. It's allowed me to be more present, soaking up the quiet beauty of most surroundings. It's tough to be a birder in New York City. The same…

Listen. Animal memes don't have to be cutesy. It's true that people love pics of adorable critters, or even basic baby-talk captions. But there are those of us who tire of this trope, and require more cultured offerings. Instead, we're looking for animal memes that fall into a variety of categories: funny, relatable, cursed, and surreal. We also look for animal memes that feature creatures beyond the usual realm of cats and dogs. This isn't because we don't like them. It's because cat and dog m…

Listen. We love cats (and dog s, fine). But the meme market is completely oversaturated with content about domesticated felines and canines. To be honest, we're starting to get sick of memes about raccoons and possums, too. On the internet, having too much of a good thing can get really, really real. So we're here to mix things up a bit with a big batch of memes about animals that are a little more elusive in the meme department. And mostly a bit less domesticated. There's a little bit of every…