Ancient Bird Bones Redate Human Presence in Madagascar by 6,000 Years
Analysis of bones, from what was once the world’s largest bird, has revealed that humans arrived on the tropical island of Madagascar more than 6,000…
Birds
All Modern Birds Evolved From The Same Common Ancestor
A new study says all modern birds evolved from the same ground-dwelling, common ancestor, after an asteroid slammed into Earth millions of years ago and…
Scientists Reveal the First Bird Beak, 3D Skull of Ichthyornis Dispar
Researchers have pieced together the three-dimensional skull of an iconic, toothed bird that represents a pivotal moment in the transition from dinosaurs to modern-day birds….
Size Matters for Hummingbirds Mechanochemical Efficiency
A new U of T Scarborough study has found that when it comes to fuel efficiency, bigger is better for hummingbirds. “In animals body size…
Newly Discovered Prehistoric Bird Fossil Sheds Light on Avian Evolution
The tiny fossil of a prehistoric baby bird is helping scientists understand how early avians came into the world in the Age of Dinosaurs. The…
Researchers Discover First-Known Hybrid Bird Species from the Amazon
In a newly published study, a team of University of Toronto Scarborough researchers have described the first known hybrid bird species to be found in…
Princeton Study Finds That New Species Can Develop in as Little as 2 Generations
The arrival 36 years ago of a strange bird to a remote island in the Galapagos archipelago has provided direct genetic evidence of a novel…
Bird Brains Have Significantly More Neurons Than Primate Brains Of The Same Mass
A new study systematically measures the number of neurons in the brains of birds, revealing that they have significantly more neurons packed into their small…
How Birds Got Their Beaks
In a new study evolutionary biologists reveal that bird beaks are the result of skeletal changes controlled by two genetic pathways, shedding light on the…
Study Projects How Climate Change Will Affect the Functions Birds in Ecosystems Worldwide
New research from Yale University projects how climate change will affect the functions performed by birds in ecosystems worldwide. As changing climate reshapes the geographic…
Barb Geometry of Asymmetrical Feathers Sheds Light on Evolution of Flight
By taking a closer look at feathers representing the evolutionary transition from dinosaurs to modern birds, Yale researchers demonstrate a better understand of how feathers…
Microraptor Wind Tunnel Test Provides Insight into the Evolution of Bird Flight
Scientists at the University of Southampton examine the aerodynamic performance of feathered, non-avian dinosaurs, providing new insight into the evolution of bird flight. In recent…
Urban Birds Use Cigarette Butts to Get Rid of Pests
A team of ecologists discovered that city birds may be inserting cigarette butts into the lining of their nests in order to repel arthropods. The…
High-Speed Video Helps Scientists Understand Hummingbird Pollination
Hummingbirds are part of the family Trochilidae and are among the smallest birds on the planet, with most species measuring between 7.5 to 13 cm….
Swallows & Homing Pigeons Monitor Environmental Factors
A new study indicates that nesting birds that feed on insects that hatch in lake or stream-bed sediments make good biological monitors for pollution. The…
Blood-Thinning Rodenticide is Killing Birds
Canada and the US have started to restrict the use of rodent poisons based on blood thinners, as new research shows that the toxins accumulate…
Eggs of Superb Fairy-Wren Learn Before Hatching
The females of superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) start singing to their unhatched eggs in order to teach the embryo a “password,” a single unique note,…
Transgendered Bellbird Discovered in New Zealand
Biologists have uncovered a spotted New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura) in Karori’s Zealandia eco-sanctuary that exhibits features and behavior of both male and female members…