Land Birds

Mid-19th Century specimens collected in Latin America by Alfred Russel Wallace include parrot wings and marsupial pelts.

The Great Feather Heist

The curious case of a young American’s brazen raid on a British museum’s priceless collection

Rare Yellow Cardinal Spotted at Alabama Bird Feeder

The bird's distinctive coloration may be caused by a genetic mutation or a health issue

Snowy owls may be a nice surprise in more Southerly climes, but these charismatic birds are also at risk.

A Winter Boom of Snowy Owls Masks a Host of Climate Threats

Despite their seeming abundance, these far-flung raptors are in danger

Often known as the redbird or common cardinal, the northern cardinal is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis.

Five Things to Know About the Recently Changed Migratory Bird Act

A new rule prevents industry from being prosecuted for killing birds under the 100-year-old conservation law

Frederick II was the first "modern" ornithologist, studying birds in detail in the 13th century to fuel his passion for falconry.

The Modern History of Ornithology Starts With This Inquisitive Medieval Emperor

Frederick II got up to a lot in his lifetime

Birdwatch for Science This Holiday Season

Get outdoors for the Audubon's annual Christmas Bird Count

Crested pigeons make an awful racket when they take off—but where's it coming from?

Australian Pigeons Have a Specially Evolved Feather to Better Annoy the Heck Out of You With

Pinpointing the birds’ noisemakers could help researchers better understand why urban avians make so much dang noise

The only specimen ever collected of the erstwhile species Phyllastrephus leucolepis, or the Liberian Greenbul

The Elusive Songbird Species That Likely Never Existed

After fruitless hunts for a Liberian songbird, DNA analysis suggests that the species is not new

Older, soot-covered horned larks on the left and cleaner specimens on the right

Sooty Bird Feathers Reveal a Century of Coal Emissions History

A story of pollution hides in the grime of museums' birds specimens

Oxpeckers hang out with large ungulates–animals with hoofs like rhinos, giraffes and water buffalo.

Those Little Birds On The Backs Of Rhinos Actually Drink Blood

You think that’s ticks they’re eating?

"Endangered, you say?"

Five Fascinating Facts About the Amazing Cassowary

They may look pretty scary, but they’re actually pretty cool

A pin-tailed whydah in Africa

This Beautiful Species Could Be Trouble for Native Birds

Analysis shows that the parasitic pin-tailed whydah could impact native birds in the Caribbean, Hawaii and the southern U.S.

Eagles Adopt—Not Attack—a Red-Tailed Hawk Chick

Bird lovers are watching with bated breath to see if the eagles will keep feeding the little guy or turn him into dinner

Tree resin trapped this baby bird 99 million years ago.

This 99-Million-Year-Old Bird Coexisted With Dinosaurs

The tiny bird is a big find for paleontologists

Did Peckish Christians Make Chickens More Social?

Religious dietary laws in the Middle Ages could have helped make the fowl less aggressive

A whooping crane in flight in Texas.

The Hopeful Mid-Century Conservation Story of the (Still Endangered) Whooping Crane

There were just 15 whooping cranes left in 1952. Today there are around 600

Sirocco, currently MIA, has helped millions connect with the island’s endangered wildlife.

Seduced By a Rare Parrot

What can conservationists learn from New Zealand’s official “spokesbird,” a YouTube celebrity who tries to mate with people’s heads?

These baby eagles mean business.

Watch a Baby Bald Eagle Hatch in Real Time

Things are getting serious for the world's most famous bald eagles

This year's spring migration has already begun and is expected to continue now through late May.

The Best Places in the U.S. to See Spring's Migrating Birds

Get out your binoculars—birds are making their annual trek north

Ecologists tend to think of mobbing behavior as primarily a way that smaller birds protect their nests and chicks from larger predators. Shown here, a Willie wagtail attacking an Australian raven.

Why Do Male Birds Take on Larger Predators? Maybe Just to Impress the Ladies

Some mobbing behavior may be less about survival, and more about sexual selection

Page 11 of 14