Biologists Track Global Reductions in Terrestrial Mammalian Movements
Humans change entire landscapes – by building cities and roads, by farming land and by exploiting natural resources. What effects does this have on animals…
Ornithology
Super Black Gives Bird of Paradise an Edge
The mating display of the male bird of paradise owes its optical extravagance to a background so black it is the envy of telescope and…
Shrews Reduce the Size of Their Organs in the Winter
New research shows that tiny mammals reduce the size of their organs in the winter and can even decrease and rebuild bones. During winter, the…
Free Mate Choice Enhances Reproductive Success
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute show that behavioral compatibility plays an important role in mate choice in zebra finches. Zebra finches allowed to breed…
Birdsongs Elicit “Emotional” Response From Birds
Scientists indicate that birds listening to birdsong may be experiencing an emotional response akin to when humans listen to music. The study tracked the neural…
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…
Eurasian Jays Aware When Others Are Listening
A new study indicates that Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) are aware that others may be watching them while they hide away nuts and seeds for the…
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…
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…