The Faunalist exists to answer one question as clearly as possible: what is that bird in your backyard, and how do you bring more of them in? Whether you are trying to identify a flash of red at the feeder, figure out what to plant, or understand a behavior you have never seen before, our guides are built to give you a straight, trustworthy answer without the fluff.
What You Will Find Here
We publish in-depth, research-backed guides across the topics backyard birders actually search for: species identification profiles, side-by-side comparisons of lookalike birds, feeding and food guides, regional guides for every part of the United States, nesting and behavior explainers, and the meaning and symbolism people have attached to birds across cultures. Alongside the written guides, we build free interactive tools, including a Bird Identifier that narrows down a mystery bird by color, size, and region, a side-by-side comparison tool, and a regional browser for the birds near you.
How We Research
Accuracy is the whole point of a wildlife site, so we take it seriously. Every guide follows the same editorial process before it goes live:
- Research against recognized authorities. Our primary references are the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, supplemented by government wildlife agencies, university extension programs, and peer-reviewed research where relevant.
- Grounding in firsthand observation. We are backyard birders ourselves. The practical advice in our guides, from feeder placement to what actually empties a seed tray first, comes from years of watching real backyards.
- Review before publishing. Guides are reviewed by experienced birders for accuracy before they go live.
- Honest uncertainty. When sources disagree or a question is genuinely unsettled, we say so rather than inventing certainty.
Corrections Policy
Ornithology is a living science, ranges shift, and taxonomy changes. When we learn that something in a published guide is wrong or outdated, we correct the article itself, not quietly in a footnote. If you spot an error, please report it with the article name and what you found. Reader corrections are reviewed against our sources and acted on, and we are genuinely grateful for them.
Who Writes These Guides
The Faunalist is written by a small editorial team, and each writer owns one subject area rather than covering everything. Marcus Ellery is the editor and writes the bird coverage. Owen Caldwell handles mammals, reptiles and amphibians, Hannah Whitlock covers insects, spiders and household pests, Priya Natarajan writes the small pet guides, Tom Ashby takes poultry and backyard livestock, and Lena Marsh covers fish and aquariums.
Those bylines are pen names, and the portraits on the author pages are illustrations rather than photographs. We say so plainly rather than letting you assume otherwise, and we do not claim degrees or licences our writers do not hold. You can read each writer’s background and sources on the editorial team page, and the full process, including our corrections policy, is set out in our editorial standards.
How The Faunalist Makes Money
Every guide on this site is free to read, with no paywall and no required sign-up. The site is supported by display advertising and by affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Advertisers and retailers have no influence over what we write or recommend; our conclusions come first, links come second. The full details are in our Affiliate and Advertising Disclosure.
Our Promise
- Clear answers first, so you get what you came for without scrolling past filler.
- Real accuracy, checked against trusted authorities and reviewed before publishing.
- No hype and no fake expertise. If we are not sure, we tell you.
- Practical advice you can actually use in your own backyard, this weekend.
Get in Touch
Spotted an error, have a question, or want to suggest a topic? We would genuinely like to hear from you. Reach us any time at [email protected] or through our contact page.