Secrets of 9-Foot Tall, 1,500-Pound Elephant Birds Revealed by Ancient Eggshells
More than 1,200 years ago, flightless elephant birds roamed the island of Madagascar and laid eggs bigger than footballs. While these ostrich-like giants are now…
Birds News
Australia’s Rarest Bird of Prey Is Facing Extinction
Australia’s rarest bird of prey — the red goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiatus) — is facing extinction, with Cape York Peninsula now the only place in Queensland…
Magnetic Mishaps: Disturbances in the Earth’s Magnetic Field Could Lead Migrating Birds Astray
The UCLA study has the potential to enhance scientists’ understanding of the dangers faced by birds and their capacity for adaptation. It is widely understood…
Genetic Contamination: Domesticated Chicken DNA Is Tainting Genomes of Wild Red Junglefowl
Estimates indicate that wild birds inherited 20% to 50% of their genomes from chickens. According to a new study published in the journal PLOS Genetics,…
The Benefits of Polygamy: How Birds Avoid Harmful Mutations
According to a study led by the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, bird species that engage in multiple sexual partnerships have…
Rare Fossilized Feathers Reveal Secrets of Ancient Paleontology Hotspot
The early Cretaceous bird fossils hold key information about the ancient ecosystem of Jehol Biota. Jehol Biota in China is renowned for its exceptional fossils…
Crucial New Insights Into Survival of the Critically Endangered Kākāpō Parrot
A new study published in PeerJ Life & Environment has provided crucial insights into the factors that affect the fertility of the critically endangered kakapo,…
Evolving “Backward” – Discovery Overturns More Than a Century of Knowledge About the Origin of Modern Birds
Fossilized remains of a skeleton found within a small rock have challenged a long-held belief about the evolution of modern birds. A team of researchers…
120-Million-Year-Old Fossil Shows Modern Bird Skull Evolved From a Mixture of Dinosaur and Bird Features
A new study from researchers at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Field Museum of Natural…
Fireworks and Birds: The Hidden Costs of Celebration
Changes in bird behavior persist long after the fireworks are gone. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz, Germany, and the…
Earth’s Most Unique Birds Face the Greatest Danger of Extinction
According to recent research, bird species with extreme or rare combinations of traits face the greatest danger of extinction. According to a new study performed…
New Study Highlights Quirks of Remote Island Evolution
Research indicates that there is more than one way to build a black bird. Nature often finds a way when it comes to the biological…
Just Like Humans – More Intelligent Jays Have This Characteristic
Similar to humans, more intelligent jays display more self-control. According to recent research, Eurasian jays may pass a variation of the “marshmallow test,” and those…
Personality and Divorce: Breakups Are More Common in Albatross Couples With Shy Males
In a long-studied population of wandering albatrosses, females are less likely to stick with a shy mate. The wandering albatross is the poster bird for…
10-Million-Years in the Making – Researchers Discover First-Ever Documented Hybrid of Its Kind
Birdsong reveals a rare hybrid coupling. Stephen Gosser, a self-described “diehard birder,” was out in the Western Pennsylvania woods in June of 2020 when he…
Highly Threatened New Species of Owl Discovered in the Rainforests of Príncipe Island, Central Africa
A new species of owl has just been described from Príncipe Island, an island lying off the west coast of Central Africa that is part…
Research Shows Being Around Birds Is Linked to Lasting Mental Health Benefits
Seeing or hearing birds is associated with an improvement in mental well-being that can last up to eight hours, according to new research from King’s…
Hubble Space Telescope Goes Galactic Birdwatching
This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the barred spiral galaxy NGC 7496, which lies over 24 million light-years away from Earth in the…
