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Wildlife

The annual contest highlights not only birds but their behaviors, habitats and threats.

These 20 Breathtaking Bird Images From the Audubon Photography Awards Capture the Wonder of the Winged World

The winners of the 17th annual contest reveal the beauty of birds, the splendor of their migratory journeys and the risks they face

The white-headed duck is “one of the true eccentrics of the waterfowl world because almost everything about it seems unusual,” says waterfowl expert Nicky Petkov.

Spain’s White-Headed Ducks Have a Signature Color Right in the Name. And That Isn’t Even Their Most Remarkable Hue

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 recovery

In loud conditions, a tokay gecko adjusts its call, which is typically used to find a mate or defend territory.

Reptiles Make a Surprising Amount of Noise. Here’s What Those Sounds Might Mean, From Pops to Hoots to Bellows

Scientists are realizing that turtles, lizards and crocodilians communicate vocally more than they once thought

An artist's interpretation of what Chosha praecursor might have looked like while splitting its time between water and land 324 million years ago in what is now Texas.

This Ancient Insect Had 24 Legs—and Could Help Explain How the Ancestors of Modern-Day Bugs Took Over the Land

A previously undescribed critter that lived 324 million years ago appears to have been a transitional species that lived between land and sea. It could help researchers fill an 80-million-year gap in the fossil record of how crustaceans evolved into insects

A male Cope's gray treefrog is smaller than a female and attaches to her back as she looks for a spot to lay eggs.

Female Treefrogs Experience ‘Choice Overload’ Amid Too Many Mating Calls From Males

Faced with a chorus of potential mates, female Cope’s gray treefrogs may be overwhelmed by the number of options and struggle to make a careful decision, a study suggests

A new museum focused on the world of whales will open next year in Norway.

A New Museum in Norway Is Bringing Visitors Into the World of Whales—From Life-Size Orcas to Immersive Underwater Exhibits

Opening in 2027, The Whale will explore the science, behavior, evolution and cultural history of whales through art, storytelling, sound and architecture

Researchers observed bearded capuchins in Brazil eating birds (shown here), lizards, rodents, opossums, snakes and other small vertebrates.

When Fruit Is Scarce, These Monkeys Hunt Animals. The Behavior May Offer Clues About the Origins of Humans’ Meat-Eating Habits

The bearded capuchins of northeastern Brazil typically eat plant-based foods, but they turn to small vertebrates when those sources are limited. Our ancestors may have done the same, eventually allowing predatory behaviors to be more frequently passed on in our lineage

This might be the view a seal gets as it comes up from underwater to breathe: a polar bear, looking down for its prey.

See 16 Stunning Animal Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

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 October

Marmots can spend up to eight months in hibernation, so packing on the pounds during the short alpine summer is essential to their survival.

Cast Your Vote for the Chunkiest Alpine Rodent During Colorado’s First-Ever Fat Marmot Week

The inaugural competition puts eight yellow-bellied marmots head-to-head while shining a light on the science behind their seasonal weight gain and survival at high elevations

A long-clawed shrew seen in northern Japan

These Tiny Shrews Grow Bigger Snouts and Shrink Their Brains to Survive Harsh Winters, Study Suggests

Scientists have long known that some small mammals reduce their brain size during cold months and regrow them in the spring. Long-clawed shrews from Hokkaido, Japan, seem to follow that pattern—while their noses surprisingly do the opposite

A pair of African wild dogs at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, the largest privately owned nature reserve in South Africa, near the Botswana border.

Africa’s Wild Dogs Are the Most Hated Carnivores on the Continent. Here’s Why Some Conservationists Are Saving Them Anyway

Meet the team that closely monitors the playful canines, which need help to form diverse packs and stop their numbers from dwindling

Scientists suspect the bones belonged to a brown bear or a polar bear.

Ireland’s ‘Kerry Cow’ Bones Are Actually Wild Boar and Bear, Shaking Up the Story of Farming’s Arrival on the Island

The bones were discovered on the Dingle Peninsula more than 30 years ago, but scientists recently decided to take another look at them, this time using modern techniques

Researchers made the discovery while studying the California two-spot octopus.

Why Are Some Octopuses So Smart? The Answer Might Lie in a Never-Before-Seen Mutation That Helps Them Accurately Build Proteins

Scientists discovered a strange feature in certain octopuses’ ribosomal RNA, molecules that create a 3D scaffold for cellular protein factories. It was found only in shallow-water creatures that have expanded nervous systems and can do complex behaviors

A tufted gray langur strokes a grizzled giant squirrel in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Do Monkeys Keep Pets? Study Finds Widespread Primate Interactions With Other Animal Species, From Mice to Deer

This social behavior might reveal the evolutionary roots of traits that underlie pet-keeping in humans, scientists say, from caregiving to tolerance and curiosity. But it’s not the same as a person keeping a cat or a dog

A harbor porpoise surfaces near the Golden Gate Bridge.

Marine Biologists Solved a Wildlife Mystery From the Walkway of the Golden Gate Bridge: How the Harbor Porpoise Mates

The dolphin-like marine mammals returned to San Francisco Bay in 2008 after a decades-long absence from the area. Scientists took the rare opportunity to closely observe their behavior, and what they uncovered might help at-risk porpoise populations

Out on safari, this tired lion lets out a big yawn after an early morning hunt.

Lions, Lions and Lions, Oh My! 15 Photos of the Most Majestic Big Cats Found Throughout Africa

Ranging from cubs to adults, this selection of shots from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest showcases the apex predator of the savanna

Each day, elephants roam the dry riverbed in Amboseli National Park in search of water and food. 

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

These 20 Playful and Powerful Photos of Elephants Will Leave You Astounded By the Majestic Mammals

On this World Elephant Day, you’ll never forget your favorite pachyderm among the selected memorable images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest

Mountain lions change how deer behave, potentially preventing deadly deer-vehicle accidents.

Pumas Might Be Making Your Drive Home Safer. When the Predators Are Around, Deer Tend to Avoid Roads, Preventing Some Collisions

In Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the wild cats’ presence corresponded with a 67 percent drop in the likelihood of a deer-vehicle crash and a 76 percent overall decline in the number of wrecks during a five-year period, according to a new study

Screenshot of Jackie from a livestream in April

Jackie the Bald Eagle, Who Captured Hearts Around the World Via Livestream, Has Died After Battling a Mysterious Illness

A raptor center in California had been caring for the animal since mid-July, after she had an altercation with two young eagles. But she had probably been sick long before then

A koala, Phascolarctos cinereus, with her babies at Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, 2011

This Amazing Archive of Animal Photography Reveals 18,000 Species and Counting. Here’s How Joel Sartore Built His ‘Photo Ark’

For 20 years, the National Geographic photographer has showcased Earth’s animals in a series of striking images that make even the tiniest creatures look immense

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