Plants & Gardens Blog - Brooklyn Botanic Garden

a black-capped chickadee sitting on a person's hand

Birds, Pollinators & Other Wildlife

Birds of Brooklyn: Black-Capped Chickadee

This beloved little bird will eat right of a person's hand. Or pull fur right out of a sleeping raccooon's coat!

By Joe Giunta

Three tree swallow birds against a blue sky.

Birds, Pollinators & Other Wildlife

Birds of Brooklyn: Tree Swallow

This little blue and white bird is preparing to hitch a ride out of here on the northwest wind with 10,000 friends.

By Joe Giunta

Urban Gardening | Birds, Pollinators & Other Wildlife

Birds of Brooklyn: Northern Flicker

This woodpecker doesn't actually peck wood so much. Instead, it looks for ants on the ground.

By Joe Giunta

A small chalkboard sign with white writing is posted alongside yellow flowers.

Birds, Pollinators & Other Wildlife | BBG Gardens & Collections

Annual Border in Bloom

The Annual Border is profuse with blooms, with extra room for serendipity.

By Kathryn Tam

Birds, Pollinators & Other Wildlife

Birds of Brooklyn: Double-Crested Cormorant

Have you seen this large black waterbird in NYC? It's often spotted near bodies of water, both large and small, freshwater and saltwater, spreading its wings out to dry.

By Joe Giunta

A purple-winged butterfly on a stalk of grass.

Science Explainers | Birds, Pollinators & Other Wildlife

All About Bugs: Introduction to Butterflies

Watch for butterflies and caterpillars of all sorts, and learn more about some of Brooklyn's most common lepidopterans.

By Steven N. Severinghaus

Birds, Pollinators & Other Wildlife

Birds of Brooklyn: Mallard Duck

Mallards thrive in Brooklyn and all over the world. Where do they nest? When do they molt? How do they feed themselves when humans aren't throwing them bread crusts?

By Joe Giunta