https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/birds/RSS feed for BirdsenFri, 16 Oct 2026 18:23:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wildlife-experts-stunned-to-find-that-bird-flu-killed-jackie-the-beloved-internet-famous-bald-eagle-180989703/Jackie died in August after receiving weeks of intensive care at the Ojai Raptor Center in California. The necropsy results are surprising, given that Jackie's symptoms were unusual for bird flu and there is no ongoing outbreak among bald eaglesFri, 16 Oct 2026 18:23:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wildlife-experts-stunned-to-find-that-bird-flu-killed-jackie-the-beloved-internet-famous-bald-eagle-180989703/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wildlife-biologists-start-vaccinating-shy-albatross-by-hand-taking-aim-at-the-spread-of-avian-flu-in-tasmania-180989684/If all goes to plan, officials hope to vaccinate up to 100 of the large seabirds on Albatross Island, giving each two doses of the vaccine. Afterward, they plan to keep tabs on the birds using remote cameras and follow-up visitsThu, 15 Oct 2026 15:21:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wildlife-biologists-start-vaccinating-shy-albatross-by-hand-taking-aim-at-the-spread-of-avian-flu-in-tasmania-180989684/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birds-in-their-pants-two-men-accused-of-smuggling-21-avians-after-miami-airport-bust-180989670/Customs officers say they found the creatures hidden in the men's clothes after they touched down on separate flights from Cuba, and it's unclear whether the two incidents are related. Wildlife trafficking is the world's fourth-largest form of organized crimeThu, 15 Oct 2026 14:52:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birds-in-their-pants-two-men-accused-of-smuggling-21-avians-after-miami-airport-bust-180989670/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-winners-of-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capturing-the-splendor-and-drama-of-nature-180989681/These 19 recognized images highlight the diversity across our planet and the value in appreciating and protecting the natural worldWed, 14 Oct 2026 20:50:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-winners-of-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capturing-the-splendor-and-drama-of-nature-180989681/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-family-of-barn-owls-has-moved-into-new-york-citys-upper-west-side-perhaps-the-first-to-nest-in-manhattan-in-modern-history-180989674/The feathered residents have attracted lots of attention, as their species is considered an extremely rare sight in the cityTue, 13 Oct 2026 19:25:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-family-of-barn-owls-has-moved-into-new-york-citys-upper-west-side-perhaps-the-first-to-nest-in-manhattan-in-modern-history-180989674/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-chinstrap-penguin-colonies-is-shrinking-fast-180989676/Zavodovski Island, a remote, uninhabited volcanic island between South America and Antarctica, lost 63 percent of its chinstrap penguins between 2011 and 2025, according to a new studyTue, 13 Oct 2026 19:23:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-chinstrap-penguin-colonies-is-shrinking-fast-180989676/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-south-american-birds-can-match-a-jackhammers-ear-splitting-volume-making-them-some-of-the-worlds-loudest-known-avians-180989629/The bare-throated bellbird and the red-legged seriema can produce sounds at amplitudes that exceed 120 decibels, which puts them on par with a trumpeting elephant or a chainsawFri, 09 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-south-american-birds-can-match-a-jackhammers-ear-splitting-volume-making-them-some-of-the-worlds-loudest-known-avians-180989629/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-discoveries-that-changed-our-understanding-of-t-rex-forever-from-warm-blood-to-lips-180989634/Paleontologists are still unraveling the secrets of the world’s most famous dinosaur, such as its outward appearance or the way that it hunted. With each new finding, our view of the “tyrant lizard king” has gotten a little clearer—and sometimes has radically shiftedWed, 07 Oct 2026 17:15:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-discoveries-that-changed-our-understanding-of-t-rex-forever-from-warm-blood-to-lips-180989634/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-five-birds-have-disappeared-forever-their-history-offers-a-valuable-lesson-for-the-future-180989616/In an exhibition celebrating the natural history of the United States, a small group of taxidermy birds stands as a reminder of loss—and a symbol of hopeMon, 05 Oct 2026 17:38:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/these-five-birds-have-disappeared-forever-their-history-offers-a-valuable-lesson-for-the-future-180989616/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/remarkable-fossil-of-a-feathered-winged-dinosaur-further-hints-that-flight-evolved-multiple-times-among-the-terrible-lizards-180989612/The fossil belonged to a category of dinosaurs called microraptors, which were bird-like but not ancestors of modern-day avians. A new study found that this group of ancient predators evolved similar anatomical adaptations to birds, but developed them in a different orderMon, 05 Oct 2026 15:53:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/remarkable-fossil-of-a-feathered-winged-dinosaur-further-hints-that-flight-evolved-multiple-times-among-the-terrible-lizards-180989612/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-15-wonderful-photographs-of-kenyas-world-class-wildlife-will-have-you-booking-a-flight-to-the-savanna-180989558/The East African nation is home to a number of conservation parks where its impressive animals roam freeFri, 25 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-15-wonderful-photographs-of-kenyas-world-class-wildlife-will-have-you-booking-a-flight-to-the-savanna-180989558/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/some-birdsongs-are-more-pleasing-to-human-ears-than-others-higher-pitched-complex-calls-tend-to-sound-more-beautiful-to-us-180989540/In a new study, more than 80 participants rated the pleasantness of vocalizations made by 123 European bird species. Researchers then looked at the acoustic qualities of the most—and least—liked songsThu, 24 Sep 2026 19:01:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/some-birdsongs-are-more-pleasing-to-human-ears-than-others-higher-pitched-complex-calls-tend-to-sound-more-beautiful-to-us-180989540/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experience-the-wonder-of-birds-with-these-11-winning-photos-from-the-bird-photographer-of-the-year-contest-180989552/From a greater sage-grouse performing a mating display to a tawny frogmouth making a funny face, these photographs capture the breathtaking diversity of the world’s avian speciesWed, 23 Sep 2026 13:22:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experience-the-wonder-of-birds-with-these-11-winning-photos-from-the-bird-photographer-of-the-year-contest-180989552/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tyrannosaurus-rex-was-a-warm-blooded-dinosaur-with-a-body-temperature-similar-to-that-of-humans-study-suggests-180989519/A tooth analysis hints that the fearsome predator ran at a toasty 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintaining that internal temperature may have allowed it to inhabit a range stretching from modern-day Alaska to Mexico during the Cretaceous periodFri, 18 Sep 2026 15:59:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tyrannosaurus-rex-was-a-warm-blooded-dinosaur-with-a-body-temperature-similar-to-that-of-humans-study-suggests-180989519/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-zealand-welcomes-a-record-90-kakapo-chicks-helping-the-worlds-chunkiest-parrot-species-rebound-from-the-brink-of-extinction-180989511/Annual chick counts aren't confirmed until the youngest hatchling reaches 150 days old, a benchmark for independence. The population now stands at 325 birds, up from the 51 individuals that remained in 1995Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-zealand-welcomes-a-record-90-kakapo-chicks-helping-the-worlds-chunkiest-parrot-species-rebound-from-the-brink-of-extinction-180989511/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-66-million-year-old-feather-trapped-in-dinosaur-poop-might-help-explain-why-some-birds-survived-mass-extinction-180989496/Discovered in Montana in 2016, the cherry-size coprolite contains feathers, bones and evidence of the bird's last meal before the creature was eaten by a theropodWed, 16 Sep 2026 18:45:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-66-million-year-old-feather-trapped-in-dinosaur-poop-might-help-explain-why-some-birds-survived-mass-extinction-180989496/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-20-breathtaking-bird-images-from-the-audubon-photography-awards-capture-the-wonder-of-the-winged-world-180989436/The winners of the 17th annual contest reveal the beauty of birds, the splendor of their migratory journeys and the risks they faceWed, 02 Sep 2026 19:48:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-20-breathtaking-bird-images-from-the-audubon-photography-awards-capture-the-wonder-of-the-winged-world-180989436/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/spain-white-headed-ducks-signature-color-right-name-that-isnt-even-most-remarkable-hue-180989289/The first thing you’re likely to notice is the blue bill. But beyond appearances, the duck has an exciting story to tell about conservation and recoveryWed, 02 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/spain-white-headed-ducks-signature-color-right-name-that-isnt-even-most-remarkable-hue-180989289/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-16-stunning-animal-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180989397/Now in its 62nd year, the famed competition has released a sneak peek of the entries from this contest ahead of announcing the winners in OctoberWed, 26 Aug 2026 18:28:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-16-stunning-animal-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180989397/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-did-medieval-builders-construct-complex-cathedrals-before-advanced-mathematics-and-more-questions-from-our-readersyouve-got-questions-weve-got-experts-180989286/You’ve got questions. We’ve got expertsMon, 24 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-did-medieval-builders-construct-complex-cathedrals-before-advanced-mathematics-and-more-questions-from-our-readersyouve-got-questions-weve-got-experts-180989286/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-extremely-rare-half-male-half-female-bird-temporarily-took-up-residence-outside-of-chicago-180989377/The unusual-looking bobolink is what's called a bilateral gynandromorph. The bird behaved like a male, eventually wooing a mate and raising fledglingsFri, 21 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-extremely-rare-half-male-half-female-bird-temporarily-took-up-residence-outside-of-chicago-180989377/