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Birds

A dark cloud of starlings shapeshifts over Rome.

A Closer Look at the Kestrels, Hedgehogs and Other Wild Animals That Inhabit Rome

From antiquity to modern times, the city has been rife with creatures that creep, slither, scurry and nest among its pillars and palaces

A close-up of a kelp gull in its native habitat in Chile. This is not the individual bird seen in Wisconsin.

Southern Hemisphere Gull Seen in Wisconsin for the First Time, Drawing Tourists for a Rare Glimpse of the Out-of-Place Bird

The vagrant kelp gull mated with a local herring gull, though the chick did not survive. Experts say it’s a “complete mystery” how the bird came to nest so far north in the first place

A veery gets ready to rise into the Vermont skies, not long before setting off on an annual migration to the species’ wintering grounds in Brazil.

Scientists Are Tracking Worrying Declines in Insects—and the Birds That Feast on Them. Here’s What’s Being Done to Save Them Both

In Vermont, researchers have investigated the types of creepy, crawly bugs that their avian predators consume and may have found the answers to keeping them both alive

Scavengers like turkey vultures remove millions of tons of waste each year by consuming carrion.

Scavenger Animals Are in Trouble, and That Could Spell Bad News for Human Health

More than one-third of species that eat some amount of carrion are threatened or declining, a new analysis finds, and that could lead to a rise in zoonotic diseases

A sandhill crane stands over a Canada gosling it adopted in Madison, Wisconsin. Such interspecies adoptions appear to have become more common in recent years.

These Sandhill Cranes Have Adopted a Canada Gosling, and Birders Have Flocked to Watch the Strange Family

Ornithologists and locals wonder what the future holds for this chick being raised by much taller, but still doting parents

The mosquitoes are dropped from drones inside small, cylindrical, biodegradable containers.

Scientists Are Using Drones to Unleash Thousands of Mosquitoes in Hawaii in a Bid to Save Native Birds. Here’s How It Works

The lab-raised, non-biting male mosquitoes are meant to breed with the invasive ones on the islands and produce sterile eggs that will help suppress avian malaria

A long-billed curlew flies over the Great Plains. New research suggests the birds react to danger more quickly when they hear prairie dog alarm calls.

Nesting Birds Eavesdrop on Prairie Dog Alarm Calls to Keep Their Eggs Safe From Grassland Predators

New research suggests long-billed curlews keep an ear out for warnings from prairie dogs in order to hide from predators and protect their nests

A painting found in Pompeii depicting eggs, bronze dishes and two small birds hung on a wall

New Research

This Ancient Roman Casual Dining Joint Served Fish, Chicken and—Fried Songbird

A new analysis of the bones in the eatery’s garbage pit challenges the elite status of thrush in the Roman diet

A flamingo peeks from behind its feathers at the North Carolina Zoo.

Engineers Are Racing to Harness the Dazzling Magic of Feathers. They Haven’t Solved the Mystery Just Yet

The natural marvels, which do everything from enabling acrobatic flight to insulating against Antarctic cold, continue to inspire new designs and technologies

Perched on the southern edge of the picturesque Monterey Bay, Pacific Grove, California, is home to the Monarch Grove Sanctuary, one of the largest overwintering sites of monarch butterflies in the region.

The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2025

From a barbecue capital in Texas to the site of the first offensive victory for American forces in the Revolutionary War in New York, these spots are worthy of a visit this year

Cockatoos in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia, will wait in line for a taste of drinking fountain water.

These Australian Cockatoos Learned to Operate Drinking Fountains With Their Feet to Quench Their Thirst

Birds in Sydney’s western suburbs have figured out how to get a sip from the fountains, even though they have access to nearby streams

The new study suggests that 73 million years ago, birds and dinosaurs lived side by side in the Arctic.

Scientists Find the First Evidence of Birds Nesting in the Arctic Alongside Dinosaurs

The researchers analyzed rare fossils of hatchling birds found in northern Alaska, which offered the earliest evidence of the creatures reproducing in a polar region

Anna's hummingbirds seem to be thriving amid urbanization in California, even as other hummingbird species have declined due to human activity.

California’s Hummingbirds Have Changed Their Beaks in Response to Backyard Feeders, Study Finds

With plenty of artificial nectar available, Anna’s hummingbirds have expanded their range northward and their beaks have tended to become longer and larger

Cooper's hawks are skilled hunters that feast on small and medium-sized birds.

A Young Cooper’s Hawk Learned to Use a Crosswalk Signal to Launch Surprise Attacks on Other Birds

Researcher Vladimir Dinets watched the bird repeatedly sneak behind a row of cars to ambush its unsuspecting prey

The Chicago Archaeopteryx, seen under UV light, shows soft tissues alongside the skeleton.

The Famous, Feathered Dinosaur Archaeopteryx Could Fly, Suggests New Study of a ‘Beautifully Preserved’ Fossil

The Chicago Archaeopteryx features more soft tissue and delicate skeletal details than any known fossil of its kind, and paleontologists discovered it has a set of feathers key to flight in modern birds

Mourning doves, European starlings, crows and other common backyard species have been found dead on a residential street in Richmond, California, in recent months.

Birds Are Dying Mysterious, Violent Deaths in This Northern California Neighborhood—and No One Can Explain Why

Residents of Richmond, a city in the Bay Area, say they have watched dozens of birds drop dead in recent months

A new study reveals how Chilean flamingos are so adept at finding food.

Feeding Flamingos Create Underwater Tornado-Like Vortices to Capture Their Prey, Study Finds

Rather than passively filter-feeding, the birds use their heads, beaks and feet to generate motion in the water that funnels invertebrates into their mouths

The two eagle sculptures—including one with the wizard Gandalf riding on its back—have soared over visitors at Wellington International Airport in New Zealand for more than a decade.

Say Goodbye to This Massive ‘Hobbit’-Themed Sculpture of Gandalf Riding an Eagle

For more than a decade, the eye-catching artwork had hung from the ceiling of Wellington International Airport in New Zealand, where “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” were filmed

Researchers reveal that some superb starlings form long-term, friendship-like relationships.

These Colorful Birds Form Long-Term ‘Friendships’ by Helping Out With Babysitting, Study Suggests

While scientists have observed animals assisting their relatives, a new study reveals that many superb starlings also form supportive relationships with non-relatives that can last for years

The papier-mâché decoys have been placed in a 100-acre field south of the Jackson Hole Airport runway in a bid to attract greater sage-grouse.

Rooted in the American West: Food, History and Culture

Threatened Birds Are Trying to Mate Near a Hazardous Airport in Wyoming. Can Papier-Mâché Decoys Lure Them to Safety?

At Grand Teton National Park, officials have placed handmade look-alikes in a field south of the runway to encourage greater sage-grouse to relocate

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