https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/land-birds/RSS feed for Land 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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/