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 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.
Why Birds Sing the Dawn Chorus: The Science Explained
Learn the science behind the dawn chorus: why birds sing at dawn, which species sing first, and how hormones and territory drive this morning phenomenon.
White-throated Caracara: How and Where to See It in Patagonia
The White-throated Caracara is one of Patagonia's most striking mountain raptors. We cover where it lives, the best places to see it, and practical tips for finding it in the field.
When to Put Out Hummingbird Feeders in Spring: A State-by-State Guide (2026)
When to put out hummingbird feeders in spring varies by state. Use our 2026 state-by-state timing table and live migration trackers to get your feeder ready.
When Do Ruby-throated Hummingbirds Arrive? A State-by-State Guide for Spring 2026
When do Ruby-throated Hummingbirds arrive in your state? Use our 2026 state-by-state arrival table, peak timing guide, and live migration trackers.
When Do Baltimore Orioles Return North in Spring?
Baltimore Orioles return north from April through May. Here's the state-by-state arrival guide.
Weather Impact on Bird Activity: A Birder's Guide to Reading Conditions
Learn how weather impacts bird activity and migration. Use wind, cold fronts, fog, and pressure patterns to plan better birding outings in North America.
Torres del Paine Birding Guide: The Complete Self-Drive Zone by Zone Breakdown
The complete self-drive birding guide to Torres del Paine. From the Puerto Natales road corridor to Base de las Torres, Laguna Amarga, and the Nothofagus forest.
Torrent Duck: How to Find Patagonia's Most Specialised River Bird
How to find Torrent Duck in Patagonia. Bridge stops, river structure, best sites.
The Hooded Grebe: Patagonia's Most Endangered Bird
The complete story of the Hooded Grebe — its discovery, catastrophic collapse, the threats driving it toward extinction, and the 2025 captive breeding breakthrough.
