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The Weekly Bird Word

11/10/25

This week’s Bird Word:
Lores

In bird anatomy, the lore is the area between the base of the beak and the eye. Lore color can be a key clue in identifying birds, as some species have lores that are distinctively colored and may even change color during breeding season (like Great Egrets, whose lores turn from pale yellow to lime green). White-throated Sparrows have returned to northern Virginia and can be identified by their yellow lores and other crisp facial markings. Listen for their sweet “oh-canada-canada” song too!

White-throated Sparrows have crisp facial markings, such as yellow lores, that are helpful for identification. Photo: White-throated Sparrow, John Troth/Audubon Photography Awards

More in local bird and nature news:

Still time to enter our first annual photo calendar contest! Enter your best northern Virginia bird shots and help support NVBA’s conservation work. Entries and voting close this Friday, 11/14 at 8:00 PM. You can preorder your calendar too!
Become a certified NVBA Bird Guide: Attend both sessions of our first Bird Guide Training! The first session is Thursday, 11/13 online, followed by a session in the field on Sunday, 11/16.
Let’s go birding: NextGen Birders for Conservation is leading a walk at Algonkian Regional Park on Saturday, 11/15 - all are welcome.
Fairfax Prism Week of Action: Join NVBA’s newest conservation partner for 21 Tree Rescue events at nineteen locations across Fairfax County to celebrate the launch of Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM, a community-wide effort to save our trees from invasive vines and other invasive plants.
News worth repeating: The Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas website has launched! One of the largest avian survey projects in Virginia, the Second Atlas provides an incredible amount of data about birds in Virginia that can be used to direct conservation efforts and more.
Time to get into the holiday spirit: Make your own holiday birdseed wreath this year and treat the birds to a winter snack while celebrating the season.
We need your help: Check out our volunteer page for all the different ways you can lend a hand! From pulling invasives to helping with tabling events and counting birds and insects, there’s something for everyone.

See you out there,
Northern Virginia Bird Alliance

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