The small brown bird, a house wren, was continually singing from a tree near where I was sitting. Was it mad at me for invading its home? Was it calling for a mate? Why do birds sing, anyway? The ...

A mid-August walk finds the woods almost silent. A raven talks, a jay complains, an eagle titters, a squirrel chatters. If you are lucky, a little group of chickadees will come by and visit. But bird ...