birds

Why is Wawa called Wawa? From its origins as a Pennsylvania dairy farm to its unexpected connection to an Indigenous word for "goose," here is the backstory of the iconic convenience store chain.

Bird perched on a branch against a blue sky

From birdsong to bug booms, these are sure signs that spring is here.

From leopards hidden in luggage to over a hundred snakes stashed in a man’s pants, there are some absolutely wild stories of people smuggling animals.

The Bird Theory is testing relationships

TikTok's latest viral trend has users telling their partners about the bird they saw today, but what exactly is the “Bird Theory”?

Careful study of surviving documents and specimens, as well as a little science, have revealed a bit about the dodo.

The answer involves World War I soldiers and a cute bird.

This island is struggling to manage its massive stray cat population.

RIP to whichever birds get stuck in this fake spider web.

Along with jack o’ lanterns, skeletons, and ghosts, spider webs are a classic part of creepy Halloween décor. But the spooky faux webs can be more dangerous than they appear.

It kinda looks like a blue jay, but it‘s a hybrid.

This isn‘t your average backyard bird.

Just hanging out on bare pavement, as gulls do.

Parking lots offer a lot of the benefits of gulls’ natural habitats, plus a few key perks.

Long-distance bird migration is one of the natural world’s most inspiring phenomena—and how we learned about it is just as fascinating.

Even this snowy owl is totally surprised by some of these facts.

You’ll never look at these creatures the same way again.

Wildebeest go great distances each year.

Think your commute is bad? At least you don’t have to walk or swim from one end of the Earth to the other.

Birds like this western meadowlark are singing earlier in the morning and later at night thanks to light pollution.

Early birds are starting to sing even earlier because of artificial light pollution—but it’s not clear if they’re actually losing sleep.

Sorry to this little guy but feral swine are a huge problem.

EDDMapS’s database has more than 9 million records of invasive species. See which ones hit close to home.

Ammonia from the birds’ guano can mix with other gases and form clouds, potentially cooling Earth’s surface and preserving Antarctic ice, a new study suggests.

A male greater sage-grouse performing his mating display.

Greater sage-grouse are at risk near Jackson Hole Airport—but handmade decoys are guiding them to safer ground.

Who would have thought a woodpecker could be so destructive.

A territorial woodpecker has broken dozens of car mirrors in a bizarre springtime rampage.

These crested songbirds add a welcome dash of color to yards throughout much of the United States. Let’s get a little better acquainted with our rosy, non-migratory neighbors.