birds

Seagulls Eat Garbage in Landfills and Then Poop Pollution Into Our Waters

What goes around comes around.

Scientists Find 99-Million-Year-Old Baby Bird Preserved in Amber

The tiny hatchling belonged to a group of toothed birds that died out along with the dinosaurs.

Watanabe. 2017. The Auk: Ornithological Advances.

A New Way to Tell If a Dead Duck Could Fly

One fossil expert developed a new system for classifying extinct ducks and geese.

Birds Cope with Loss by Strengthening Other Relationships

The power of community is not lost on great tits.

How a Pelican Survives a 40-Foot Drop Into the Ocean With No Broken Bones

It's more dangerous than it looks.

Chris via Wikipedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

How You Can Help Protect Migrating Birds

Experts say collisions with windows are a “preventable problem.”

Seniors' Knitting Group Crafts Sweaters For Chilly Chickens

Members launched the project after learning that some types of poultry simply aren't cut out for cold climates.

Why Don't Vultures Eat Live Prey?

Just like undertakers have the world’s most secure job, vultures have the world’s most secure food source.

California Condors Will Be Reintroduced to the Wild

Government agencies and the Yurok tribe are teaming up to try to restore the endangered bird to its historic habitat.

Fat Cat via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

8 Ways Domestic Cats Are a Serious Threat to Nature

We adore them too. Really. But this is a major problem.

Chickens Are Much, Much Smarter Than They Look

Scientist Lori Marino says the farmyard fowl are “vastly underrated.”

The Top 10 Science Stories of 2016

It's been a big year.

11 Flightless Facts About Kiwis

The bird, not the fruit.

Why Yellow Woodpeckers Are Turning Red

A team of researchers has a new explanation for the color shift: Invasive plants are altering the woodpeckers’ palate—and, as a result, their palette.

Starling Nests Make Huge Feasts for Pigs, Snakes, Insects, and Turkeys

Come one, come all.

Crow Attacks on Humans Are on the Rise in Australia

They picked up the nasty behavior from magpies.

Andreas Trepte via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.5

Scientists Say Bird Poop Helps Cool the Arctic

Gases produced by huge quantities of seabird guano contribute modestly to cloud formation, thus helping lower temperatures.

Pigeons Can Distinguish Written Words From Nonsense

These common birds are masters of the four-letter word.

Tool-Using Hawaiian Crows Join Bird Version of MENSA

The rare ‘Alalā species is only the second known crow species to use tools.

The Kind-hearted Chaos of NYC’s Only Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

The Wild Bird Fund cares for thousands of avian patients every year.

Michael Schmid via Wikipedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

In Australia, 'The World’s Deadliest Bird' Commits String of Break-Ins

Australia is urging residents not to feed the modern dinosaurs.

Plight of Injured Toucan Sparks Global Movement—and New Animal Planet Documentary

'Toucan Nation' follows the story of a wounded toucan named Grecia.

Edinburgh Zoo's Knighted Penguin Gets Promoted to Brigadier

Brigadier Sir Nils Olav is the most highly-decorated bird in the world.

Researcher Stages Cheeto Olympics for Birds

The snack’s unnatural brightness made it easy for observers to track two species’ behavior from a distance.