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National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

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How Well Do You Know America’s Bird? Nine Fascinating Facts About the Bald Eagle

It soars on six-foot wings, graces our currency and stares out from a thousand patriotic murals. But how much do you actually know about the bald eagle?

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The Hidden Architecture Behind a Wildlife-Friendly Garden at the Zoo

Zoo teams transformed the yards outside the Bird House into a thriving, wildflower-filled garden that attracts birds and other wildlife. Find out how they did it.

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Why Do Shorebirds Stand on One Leg?

It's a question visitors ask staff all the time at the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Bird House. The answer may surprise you!

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The Love Lives of Ducks Make for Great Drama

Breeding season at the National Zoo's Bird House can create some spectacular behavior

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How Do Birds Handle the Heat?

From scorching deserts to freezing oceans, birds around the world have developed incredible methods for regulating their body temperatures.

An aerial photo of two horseshoe crabs on the sand in shallow tidal waters

10 Incredible Horseshoe Crab Facts

Celebrate World Ocean Day on June 8 by learning about these ancient arthropods

A male Guam kingfisher bird wearing a transmitter on its back is held gently in an animal keeper's gloved hand

Scientists Are Using 3-D-Printing Technology to Ready Guam Kingfishers for Reintroduction to the Wild

'Test flights' using replica transmitters will help scientists select the best option for siheks

Guam rail bird with stocky body, striped chest feathers and stripes on its head walks through grass

Conserving the Last of Guam’s Avifauna: The Recovery of the Guam Rail

Walking through the forests of Guam is arresting — because it’s silent. But the sound of the forest is returning.

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