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Birds

Bones of the newly described Vorombe titan

Newly Described Elephant Bird Is the Biggest Yet

A new study is bringing long-overdue scientific rigor to the elephant bird’s family tree

An artist’s impression of the prehistoric bird from the early Cretaceous period that retained some pretty dino-like features.

This 127-Million-Year-Old Fossil Links Dinosaur and Bird Evolution

The dino-bird hybrid boasts a stubby tail, clawed wings and sharp teeth

The vibrant Baltimore Oriole can be found migrating throughout large portions of eastern and central North America.

Scientists Can Predict When Birds Will Migrate Up to a Week in Advance

A new forecasting model using years of bird migration data and weather radar could help us protect migrating birds from harm

Young grassland birds don't rush their final nest exit. They instead stick around as long as possible to gobble up as much food as they can stomach.

These Teen Birds Love Sleeping In, Too

A new study suggests young grassland songbirds postpone fledging in order to mooch off mom and dad as long as they can

A mesmerizing murmuration of starlings

New Research

Your Hysterical Tweet About That Spider in Your Sink Could Prove Useful for Science

A new study suggests mining social media for phenology data is fairly reliable and could assist researchers tracking how rapidly the world is changing

Spix's macaw.

New Research

In the Last Decade, Four Birds Went Extinct and Four More Are Likely Gone

Habitat loss is the main culprit in killing off the birds, including Spix’s macaw, the star of the popular 2011 film Rio

The moa, a species of giant flightless birds, went extinct soon after humans arrived in New Zealand during the 13th century

Oral History Suggests Māori Proverbs on Bird Extinction Mirrored Fears of Indigenous Group’s Own Decline

The moa, a giant flightless bird, served as symbol of extinction and reflection of Māori fears over encroaching European presence

Young birds that grew up with added urban background noise showed signs of faster aging than birds without.

Noise Pollution Might Cut Birds’ Lives Short

Stressed out teen birds have enough to deal with—noise seems to be one factor that could seal their fate

Blue-and-yellow macaws are capable of blushing (left).

Like Humans, Some Birds Blush to Communicate

Blue-and-yellow macaws are capable of the feathered equivalents of facial expressions, new research shows

A French Theme Park Taught Crows To Pick Up Trash

Park hopes that its avian garbage collectors will encourage humans to properly discard their rubbish

An Andean flamingo looks after a Chilean flamingo chick in a scheme to prompt the birds to breed.

U.K. Heat Wave Triggers Rare Flamingos to Lay Eggs for the First Time in 15 Years

None of the eggs were fertile, but conservation officials have hatched a plan to encourage the flamingos to breed again

Scarlet macaws are native to the tropics. So how'd they end up in New Mexico?

A Macaw Breeding Center Supplied Prehistoric Americans With Prized Plumage

This yet-undiscovered breeding center is likely one of the first instances of exotic animal husbandry in the region

A volunteer helps redirect a stranded seabird.

Newfoundland’s Volunteer Puffin Patrol Helps Save Hundreds of Baby Seabirds Confused by Light Pollution

Baby birds leaving the nest for the first time sometimes confuse urban lights for the moon and stars as they try and head out to sea from Witless Bay

Darwin, described by caretakers as a bit "goofy," befriended even the Zoo's cassowary, widely considered one of the world's most dangerous birds.

The National Zoo’s Beloved, Aging Emu Has Died

Darwin delighted zoo patrons for 21 years with his clever antics and charisma

Zebra finches fire up brain regions and vibrate their vocal cords in ways that mimic singing, even while asleep.

Zebra Finches Dream a Little Dream of Melody

Zebra finches flex their singing muscles while snoozing, as if they’re lip-syncing in their sleep—and scientists want to know why

New Research

Birds Can Learn “Foreign” Languages to Stay Safe

The superb fairywren was able to learn a new alarm call just by listening to the warnings of other species

Birds don’t fly across wide Amazonian rivers like the Rio Negro.

How Amazon Rivers Play a Role in the Evolution of Birds

Rivers are natural boundaries for evolving populations. But scientists don’t agree whether they create new species or just help maintain them.

The New Zealand Tomtit is one of the island-dwelling species included in the study

Why Island Birds Have Bigger Brains Than Their Mainland Counterparts

Researchers measured the brain sizes of 11,554 birds, including representatives of 110 island-dwelling species and 1,821 continental species

Ducky day care

Why a Female Duck Was Spotted with a Huge Brood of 76 Ducklings

Think of it as ducky day care

Aggressive or sexual behavior in crows interacting with dead bodies might happen more often when sex hormones run rampant.

It’s Not Without Caws That Crows Desecrate Their Dead

What dead crows can teach us about the connections between sex and aggression

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