Hey! I'm Alexandre Lajeunesse and welcome to my author page.
I'm a Canadian birder and trained ornithologist, and the founder of The Birding Insights. This is where I dig into the stories behind rare sightings, range expansions, and the everyday lives of the birds around us. My birding started in Quebec and has taken me all the way to the far end of Patagonia, but honestly the birds close to home surprise and delight me just as much as anything I find halfway across the world. They brighten every adventure, and if you're looking for me, I'm probably somewhere scanning for my favorite, the Long-tailed Jaeger.
My articles
Why Birds Fly Into Lights at Night, and How Lights Out Helps
Most songbirds migrate at night and navigate by the stars. We explain how artificial light disorients them, why strikes spike in spring and fall, and the one thing you can do.
Why Birds Fly in Front of Cars, and Why They Cannot Get Out of the Way
Birds do not have a death wish. We explain why birds fly in front of cars, why they cannot dodge fast vehicles, and what keeps drawing them to the road.
Why Cats Kill Wild Birds, Even Well Fed Ones
Cats hunt birds on instinct, not hunger, which is why even a well fed pet kills. We explain the drive behind it, the scale, and the birds most at risk.
Why Birds Fly Into Windows, and What to Do When One Does
Glass is an invisible trap to a bird. We explain why birds fly into windows, the spring bird that attacks its reflection, and what to do when one hits the glass.
The Causes of Bird Deaths in North America
What actually kills the most birds, from outdoor cats to glass and traffic, and the small changes at home that add up across a continent.
Birds That Hit Windows Most Often in North America
Some birds turn up at the glass far more than others. We name the species most often found after window strikes across North America, and how to recognize them.
Why Do Birds Peck at Windows? The Rival That Isn't There
The bird battering your window every spring is fighting its own reflection, not you. Here is why it happens, which birds do it, and how to break the cycle humanely.
How to Stop Woodpeckers Pecking on Your Chimney (What Works)
An honest, ranked guide to stopping a woodpecker on your chimney. Diagnose why first, then work from the cheapest reflective deterrents to the durable fixes that actually last.
Why Do Woodpeckers Peck on Telephone Poles? Trees in Disguise
A wooden utility pole is a dead, soft, insect-filled snag standing alone in the open, which is exactly what a woodpecker wants. Here is what they do to poles, and the wildlife that benefits.
Why Do Woodpeckers Peck on Metal? It's All About Sound
Metal is the one surface that gives the answer away. No insects, no cavity, so a woodpecker hammering a gutter or sign can only be drumming. Here is why, and why it rarely does harm.
Why Do Woodpeckers Peck on Chimneys? The Drum on the Roof
A chimney is the tallest, most resonant drum a woodpecker can find, and the flue pipes the sound into the house. Here is why it happens and what it means.
Why Do Woodpeckers Peck on Houses? How to Read the Damage
A house offers a woodpecker everything it wants. Here is how to read where and when the pecking happens to tell which of the four reasons you are dealing with.
Why Do Woodpeckers Peck? The Four Reasons Behind the Sound
The calm, complete answer to why woodpeckers peck. The four reasons behind every bout, the surprising science of the skull, and how to tell which one you are hearing.
Backyard Woodpeckers of North America: Who's Pecking Your House
The woodpeckers a North American homeowner actually meets, and how to connect the bird to the damage. Field marks, ranges, and the pecking habits that give each one away.
Winter Survival Adaptations for North American Birds
Learn how birds survive winter in North America: torpor, feather insulation, food caching, communal roosting, and winter finch irruptions explained.
