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Rosemary Mosco

@rosemarymosco.com
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  1. 1

    Bird sounds.

    A four panel comic titled Bird Sounds. In panel 1, labeled thrush, a wood thrush sings its beautiful eeohlay song against a forest background. In panel 2, labeled wren, a winter wren delicately sings tweedly tweedly tweedly. In panel 3, labeled warbler, a yellow warbler delicately sings sweet sweet. In panel 4, labeled heron in a death metal font, a heron screams KRAAGH against a background of fire.
    18,111 3,334
    Jul 25, 2025
  2. 2

    Look I have zero excuses for this, but the idea popped into my head and now it's in your head, sorry

    A six panel comic. In panel 1, a yellow warbler says "Hey, so I'm going to go out on a limb here". For the next four panels, it hops down along a branch. In the last panel, at the end of the branch, it sings a little song. I'm sorry.
    16,755 3,085
    Mar 20, 2025
  3. 3

    Another thing I made this year: Real and implied birds.

    A six-panel cartoon titled "real and implied birds". In the two panels in the top row, there's a rough legged-hawk sailing through the sky, next to a smooth legged hawk, which has smooth human legs. In the second row, there's a great-crested flycatcher looking dapper, next to an ok-crested flycatcher that has just a slightly less nice crest. In the third row, there's a mountain chickadee standing up on stones, next to a valley chickadee peeking out from a dip between stones. In the fourth row, there's a least bittern standing in some reeds, next to a most bittern that is enormous and stomping through a city, with people running in fear, helicopters overhead, and an overturned car on fire.
    12,398 3,029
    Dec 20, 2024
  4. 4

    Hello new followers! Here's one of my favorite older comics.

    A four-panel comic called Instinct is Weird. In panel 1, a yellow warbler looks at a beautiful nest in a shrub and says "I made this for some reason". In panel 2, there are five eggs in the nest and she says "these are my smooth round children". In panel 3 an egg has hatched into a yelling hatchling, and she says "Oh no now it's loud". In panel 4 she looks distressed as five hatchlings now fill the nest, begging for food, and she says "help".
    24,426 2,643
    Jan 18, 2025
  5. 5

    Bird photography tips, an oldie that is hopefully useful for spring migration right now.

    A comic called Bird Photography tips. A good bird photo shows a cape may warbler perched on a branch, with excellent lighting, subject in focus, and field marks clearly visible. A great bird photo shows the warbler in mid hop, labeled with peerless athleticism, levitation??, powerful. An excellent bird photo shows a little round warbler facing the camera, labeled borb, round, and a good bird. An exceptional bird photo shows the bird zooming forward mid flight, labeled nyooooom.
    12,428 2,504
    Apr 30, 2025
  6. 6

    Behold the snake.

    A four panel comic. In panel 1, there's an image of a closeup on the head of a yellow morph timber rattlesnake, with text above it that says "Behold the snake: Cunning, cruel, and bloodthirsty, it embodies evil and sin. Who knows what malevolent thoughts lurk in its mind?" In panel 2, the snake is zoomed out slightly, and a thought bubble rises above its head with three dots inside it. In panel 3, we're zoomed out more to see the whole snake curled up on a rock with a colorful background behind it, and there's a thought bubble rising from its head that says "Mmm warm sun." In panel 4, we're zoomed out even more, and the snake is sitting on a rock at the top of a hill with green grass and trees, a vibrant background of mountains and lakes behind it, and a bright blue sky with a golden cloud and birds flying. The snake is thinking "Nice day."
    7,081 1,986
    Apr 23, 2026
  7. 7

    A four panel comic. In panel 1, a little grey songbird is perched on a branch overlooking a golden field with some dogwoods and bare trees. It says "Hi! Just a small songbird over here." In panel 2, we zoom in on the songbird who says "A harmless songbird. Nothing to worry about." In panel 3, more zoom, and the bird says "No murder is about to happen. Not even a little murder!" In panel 4 we have fully zoomed in on the Northern Shrike. Its eye glows a little red and it says "Well, maybe a little".
    12,824 1,772
    Nov 20, 2024
  8. 8

    Another thing I made this year. Pigeon history!

    A comic called "What City Pigeons Talk About". Two city pigeons are standing on the sidewalk. One says "Hey, do you ever think about the past?" The other says "The past?" A closeup of the first pigeon. They say "Yeah - do you ever think about where we came from? Sometimes I forget that city pigeons are domestic animals." A hand reaches out to three wild pigeons. The narrator pigeon says "Humans domesticated us many millennia ago in the Middle East. We provided meat, feces used for fertilizer, and much more." There are two very fancy pigeon breeds. "Over time, people split us into hundreds of pure breeds - some quite elaborate! Kings and queens proudly kept pigeons, and colonists spread us worldwide." A closeup again of the first pigeon, who says, "But we fell out of fashion. Now we peck at the dusty concrete, our past glory all but forgotten. Do you ever think about that?"
    10,057 1,671
    Dec 10, 2024
  9. 9

    Ominous bird valentines.

    A collection of six ominous bird valentines set against a background of pink hearts. In the first one, a Canada Goose looks angry and hisses and the text says "Baby, I'll make you fall head over heels if you approach within 10m of my nest." In the second, an American white pelican opens its mouth to eat the reader and the text says "There are plenty of fish in the sea, but I want this one." In the third valentine, a Black Vulture looks suspiciously at the reader and the text says "I will love you until you die. And after that, I'll love you even more." A Southern Cassowary stands proudly against the heart-covered background. The text says "My wattles are red. My head is blue. My deadly reputation has been somewhat overblown, but I'd kill for you." In the fifth valentine, a Northern Giant-Petrel stands open-billed next to a large brown furry object, and the text says "Let's seal the deal by sharing a 3000 kg elephant seal carcass." In panel 6, a happy-looking Bearded Vulture holds a bone in its beak, and the text says "I love every part of you, especially your bones."
    3,615 1,596
    Feb 12, 2026
  10. 10

    Why Pigeons Make Bad Nests: A defense of pigeon aesthetics

    A six-panel comic. In panel 1, there's a pigeon standing awkwardly next to a pile of sticks with two eggs on it, and the panel is titled "Why pigeons make bad nests: A defense of pigeon aesthetics." In panel 2, a pigeon sits on a pile of sticks: "Many people think that pigeons are bad at making nests. Here are three good reasons why pigeon nests look bad." In panel 3, there's "Reason 1: Some birds, like orioles, nest in tree branches, so they weave elaborate structures that can withstand the elements..." And there's a female Baltimore Oriole weaving an elaborate hanging nest in a silver maple tree. In panel 4, "...but rock pigeons evolved to nest in crevices in cliffs, safely tucked away." And there's a pigeon sitting on a nest in a hole in a cliff. In panel 5, "Reason 2: People domesticated pigeons ages ago. Pigeons didn't need fancy nests because they had human-built homes." A beautiful dovecote shelters a flock of pigeons. In panel 6, "Reason 3: Less time making nest = more time eating seed." A pigeon pecks a seed near its nest, and says "It's called math."
    12,284 1,547
    Jan 13, 2025
  11. 11

    Heat waves.
    Thanks to @climateadam.bsky.social's most recent video, which helped inform this comic and gave me the kick I needed to make it.

    2,679 1,544
    Jul 5, 2026
  12. 12

    Found a baby songbird? Here's a newly updated chart!

    A chart that explains what to do If You Find A Baby Songbird Out Of The Nest. Is it hurt or did a cat get it? (Cat bites & scratches cause deadly infections.) or, Has a person kept it for over a day, given it food or water, or gotten it wet? If yes, Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or wildlife care center near you. An online search can help. If no, what does it look like? Eyes not yet open. You have a hatchling. It's very young. Eyes open; feathers few & may be in tube-like sheaths. You have a nestling. Feathered; awkwardly hops or flutters; tail & wings short. You have a fledgling. Many sharp teeth; large claw on second toe. You have a velociraptor. If a hatchling or nestling, can you see the nest? If yes, Return it to its nest. The parents won’t care if they can smell you. If no, Make a nest from a basket & dried grass. Wire it to a tree. (Note: A few species, like Juncos, need a nest on the ground.) If a fledgling, is it in immediate danger? If yes, carefully move it to a safer spot nearby. If no, DO NOT INTERVENE! Though the bird looks awkward, it’s in a natural stage & the parents are still feeding it. If a velociraptor, has it seen you? If yes, back away slowly. Do not show fear. If no, run. Watch for others that may attack from the sides. FYI: Some babies (eg. swifts, most woodpeckers) only sit on the ground if in trouble. When in doubt, keep watch & contact a wildlife rehabilitator if needed!
    3,195 1,502
    May 22, 2025
  13. 13

    While I work on this year's valentine, here's last year's.

    A four-panel comic. In panel 1, a wood frog stands on a pink background. The text says: "Feeling unlucky in love? Did you know that male Wood Frogs have difficulty perceiving members of their species? Here are some things they’ve been documented trying to mate with." "Spotted Salamander." The wood frog looks at a large yellow-spotted salamander, with a heart over the frog's head. "Cattail." The frog looks amorously at a large cattail flower or "sausage." "Green frog." The wood frog looks at a large confused-looking green frog. "Dead fish." The wood frog stares at a large dead fish. "Live fish." The wood frog looks amorously at a large trout. "Pine cone." The wood frog looks at a large pine cone. The final text says: "Sorry, there's no moral here. I just thought you'd enjoy this fact about frogs."
    7,086 1,295
    Feb 4, 2025
  14. 14

    Botany valentine. Another from years past. New one on Monday!

    Beautiful red roses on a pink background with flowing script saying "Roses are red," Violets budding and blooming. "Violets are blue," Hydnora plants opening up looking like terrifying red mouths bursting from the hard sandy soil. "Hydnora are leafless, bizarrely fleshy, and incapable of producing chlorophyll," A splash of cute red and pink hearts. "And so are you. Happy Valentine's Day."
    5,805 1,245
    Feb 7, 2025
  15. 15

    As the year comes to an end, I'm reposting some of the comics I made this year, including this ridiculous thing.

    A six-panel comic. In the first panel, a yellow warbler says "Hey so I'm going to go out on a limb here." In panels two through five, the warbler hops along a long branch against a blue sky with clouds. In panel 6, it stops at the end of the branch and sings.
    4,641 1,225
    Nov 25, 2025
  16. 16

    Spooky bird stories.

    A four-panel comic titled Spooky Bird Stories. In each panel, it's a dark night and a bird holding a flashlight is telling a story to other birds who are listening. In panel 1, a turkey vulture is telling stories to other vultures, and it says, "She walked toward the source of the terrible smell. She got closer and closer, and then, to her horror, she saw... No dead body." A black vulture says "No!" and a turkey vulture says "Did someone already eat it??" In panel 2, a northern cardinal is telling a story to some songbirds. It says "They peered through the windows of the house at the gory scene. Zombies had smashed through the door in the night. The homeowner was dead. But worst of all... He hadn't refilled the feeders." An eastern bluebird says "Aaah!" and an American goldfinch says "It can't be!". In panel 3, a screech owl is telling a story to other owls. It says "And then the ghost fluffed itself up really big to appear scarier." A saw-whet owl gasps, and a long-eared owl says "Horrifying!". In panel 4, a downy woodpecker is telling a story to other woodpeckers, and says "The eerie sound rang through the dark woods. Tap-tap. Tap-tap. It was the distinctive two-part knock of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. The species had returned from the dead... FOR REVENGE." A red-cockaded woodpecker says "Yesss".
    4,713 1,215
    Oct 21, 2024
  17. 17

    Animals with misleading names. I'm seeing this go around as part of a viral tumblr thread so I thought I'd reshare it.

    A comic called Animals with Misleading Names. There's an electric eel labeled "not an eel". There's a mountain goat labeled "not a goat." There's a maned wolf labeled "not a wolf." There's a king cobra labeled "not a cobra. Also, snakes are typically self-governing." There's a peacock mantis shrimp labeled "Not a peacock. Not a mantis. Also, not a shrimp." There's a horny toad labeled "Not a toad. Only thinks of you as a friend." There's a mayfly labeled "active through the spring and summer." There's an eastern kingbird labeled "found in the west. Many birds do not recognize its authority."
    3,594 1,208
    Dec 15, 2025
  18. 18

    Baby pigeon mystery.
    My pigeon book is here: www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/rosem...

    A six-panel comic. In panel 1, text says "People often wonder, why don't I see baby pigeons? Here's where they're hiding:" and there's an egg with an arrow pointing to a question mark, then an arrow pointing to an adult pigeon. Panel 2 says "Pigeons don't nest in trees. They nest in sheltered spaces on or in buildings. This keeps their babies safe from weather and predators." There's a pigeon nesting in a sheltered cavity in the side of a building. Panel 3 says "The hidden babies look like this: like moldy potatoes, but cute" and there are two baby pigeons looking, well, like moldy pink and gray potatoes with yellow fuzz. Panel 4 says "Older baby pigeons hide in plain sight. When they leave the nest, they're adult-sized, but they're still young and learning" and a fledgling pigeon is flying out of a building saying "aaaaaa". Panel 5 says "Here's how to identify these young pigeons" and shows a fledgling pigeon with arrows pointing to these features: eyes may be gray-brown, pale-edged feathers, smaller "nose" (cere), subdued hues, and looks worried. Panel 6 says "Scientifically speaking, though, all pigeons are sweet babies" and there are three very cute round pigeons, a gray, white, and red one, with arrows pointing to them to make things look scientific.
    3,752 1,138
    Nov 11, 2025
  19. 19

    Nature valentines.
    Thanks to my Patrons for keeping me drawing www.patreon.com/birdandmoon

    A group of six nature valentines. A picture of a bog with pitcher plants, with text saying "Our love is like a bog. Built up over time, resistant to decay, deeply interesting to just a small number of people." A yellow slime mold stretching out and exploring. "our love is like a slime mold. Collaborative, complex, at times unnerving to behold." A piece of limestone with a small trilobite in the corner. "Our love is like limestone. Layered, useful for many purposes, shaped by the friends we met along the way." A ring-billed gull with a french fry on a beach. "Our love is like a ring-billed gull. Abundant, found in North America, sometimes sustained by french fries." An Atlantic horseshoe crab walking on the sand. "Our love is like a horseshoe crab. Tough, timeless, unrelated to true crabs." A drawing of the phosphorus cycle, with arrows connecting various parts of a scene, including algae and fish and a farm and a river and a forest. "Our love is like the phosphorus cycle. Important, really hard to draw."
    2,971 1,069
    Feb 10, 2025
  20. 20

    Wildlife tracking tips.
    Thank you Patrons! www.patreon.com/c/birdandmoon

    A six-panel comic titled "Wildlife Tracking Tips". In panel 1, the text says "A white-tailed deer traveled through here," and there are white-tailed deer prints in fresh snow. In panel 2, the text says "An American Red Squirrel came by," and the leap marks of a red squirrel are in the snow. In panel 3, the text says "A Snowshoe Hare passed through," and there are the distinctive fluffy-footed marks from a snowshoe hare jumping across the snow. In panel 4, the text says "The Snowshoe Hare found a sword," and one of the front paw marks in the track has been replaced with a long thin line running alongside the track. In panel 5, the text says "The Snowshoe Hare is dual wielding," and both front paw marks have been replaced with long thin lines. In panel 6, the text says "The Snowshoe Hare tamed a mount, vastly increasing its jumping distance. You should run," and the Snowshoe Hare trail runs into a deer track and disappears.
    3,151 987
    Mar 5, 2025
  21. 21

    How to tell a raven from a crow. An older guide I made with Dr Kaeli Swift. And yes that's an aileron roll, not a barrel roll, but only us nerds know that :)

    A chart called "how to tell a raven from a crow". An illustration shows that the common raven has long, fancy throat feathers, but the American crow has smooth throat feathers. The raven has a wedge-shaped tail and the crow has a fan-shaped tail. The raven croaks, saying "crroak crroak", but the crow caws, saying "caw caw caw". The raven regularly barrel rolls, and is shown doing a fun roll in the sky, with the sound effect whooooosh. The crow less regularly barrel rolls, and it's shown flying awkwardly and saying "Am I doing it now??" while another crow replies "ummm almost".
    3,618 962
    Feb 26, 2025
  22. 22

    Spooky season approaches, so I'm going to repost some of my Halloween comics from years past.

    A four panel comic called Happy Halloween From The Birds. In panel 1, a pileated woodpecker has pecked its huge gaping rectangular holes in a pumpkin. In panel 2, a yellow-bellied sapsucker has pecked a face using its standard rows of small holes. In panel 3, a satin bowerbird has carved a pumpkin into a bower and placed its favorite blue candies all around it. In panel 4, a loggerhead shrike has impaled mini pumpkins on a fence's metal spikes and is saying "fight me."
    2,759 950
    Sep 29, 2025
  23. 23

    Real and implied species.
    Support my Patreon for extra content: www.patreon.com/birdandmoon

    A six-panel cartoon titled "real and implied birds". In the two panels in the top row, there's a rough legged-hawk sailing through the sky, next to a smooth legged hawk, which has smooth human legs. In the second row, there's a great-crested flycatcher looking dapper, next to an ok-crested flycatcher that has just a slightly less nice crest. In the third row, there's a mountain chickadee standing up on stones, next to a valley chickadee peeking out from a dip between stones. In the fourth row, there's a least bittern standing in some reeds, next to a most bittern that is enormous and stomping through a city, with people running in fear, helicopters overhead, and an overturned car on fire.
    2,828 911
    May 1, 2024
  24. 24

    There's a lot of talk about Canada Geese and whether they're good and my answer is Yes.

    A comic called "how to draw goose neck". In panel 1 the goose's neck is very short and is labeled "no". In panel 3 the goose's neck is the right size and is labeled "yes". In panel 3 the goose's neck is longer and is labeled "no". In panel 4 the goose's neck is extremely long and terrifyingly snakelike and it's labeled "yessss". A comic called The Canada Goose: A Role Model For Our Time. In panel 1, the goose is labeled "assertive" and is hissing furiously. In panel 2 it's "brave" and is standing up to a fearsome swan. In panel 3 it's "good parent" and is standing up to a dog while protecting its goslings. In panel 3 it's "team player" and is flying in a beautiful V. In panel 5 there's a close up of its head and it's labeled "crisp, modern aesthetic". In panel 6 it's eating grass and pooping and labeled "high fiber diet".
    6,130 865
    Apr 16, 2025
  25. 25

    A four-panel comic. In panel one, a female northern cardinal and winter plumage american goldfinch are sitting at a bird feeder in a grey landscape. The cardinal says "These seeds are delicious." The goldfinch replies "Mmm-hmm." In panel 2, there's a close up of the birds at the feeder, and the cardinal says "It was nice of the human to put up this feeder." The goldfinch says "Sure was." In panel 3, the cardinal says "We should return the favor." The goldfinch says "Great idea." In panel 4, there's a pullback shot of the bird feeder, and a human is staring at it and also at a large stick next to it with a pink-iced donut at the end of it.
    3,717 793
    Dec 26, 2025