birds

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.

Any early warning sign can be a canary in a coal mine. But the original meaning was more specific.

‘Why, yes, I am from Long Island! How did you know?’

Can a Boston dog bahk?

Vlasic has used a stork to market its pickles for decades. But how did a bird known for bringing babies suddenly start selling pickles?

Edgar Allan Poe knew what he was doing when he chose the raven to croak “nevermore” in his famous poem.

Use this map to plan your birding schedule ahead of the spring migration.

History is teeming with unlikely heroes—these ones just happen to have feathers and fur.

These penguins are going to be living their best lives.

The New England Aquarium’s retirement area for penguins offers specialized healthcare and a peaceful habitat for elderly birds.

An adorable black-capped chickadee posing in a white spruce.

These active backyard birds are more than just cute—they’re hardy survivors that have conquered the continent and are teaching scientists new things about avian evolution.

Customers will have to hold off on bulk-buying eggs for a while.

Avian influenza is causing top grocery chains to put restrictions on egg purchases.

The Chimborazo hillstar is native to the Andes of Ecuador and southern Colombia.

An ornithologist discovered a hummingbird “hive” in Ecuador‘s High Andes—a major departure for the solitary animals.

There comes a point in every child’s life when they ask where babies come from, and some parents—not wanting to explain the details of reproduction just yet—turn to the story of storks. We explore the origins of a myth that has been around for centuries.

The Scottish government won’t be rounding up people’s pets any time soon.

A scene from the La Brea Tar Pits with models of Ice Age animals.

There’s a gooey time capsule in the heart of Los Angeles, left over from an era when saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, camels, and giant sloths prowled southern California.

Was the animal a bird, or a witch?

What are eggs, really? It's complicated.

9 Astounding Facts About Bird Migration

28 Bizarre Facts About Animals That Will Make You Go “WTF?”

11 Amazingly Long Animal Migrations

Light Pollution Tricks Birds Into Singing Earlier in the Morning and Later at Night

Which Invasive Species Are Near You? Find Out With This Interactive Map

Penguin Poop: The Latest Tool to Fight Climate Change

How Grand Teton National Park Is Using Papier-Mâché Birds to Protect the Greater Sage-Grouse

Locals Shield Their Cars From Vandal Woodpecker in Rockport, Massachusetts

10 Things You May Not Know About Cardinals

The Dark History Behind the Phrase ‘Canary in the Coal Mine’

Do Animals Have Regional Accents?

Why Is the Vlasic Pickles Mascot a Stork?

10 Fascinating Facts About Ravens

The Best States for Birdwatching, Mapped

10 Times Animals Changed History

Older Penguins Moved to the New England Aquarium’s New ‘Retirement Island’

10 Charming Facts About Chickadees

These 6 Grocery Chains Are Placing Limits on Egg Purchases

Hummingbirds Found Nesting Together in Groups in Surprising First

Why Do We Say Storks Deliver Babies?

Scotland Has “No Intention” of Banning Cats, First Minister Confirms

10 Fascinating Facts About the La Brea Tar Pits

The Bizarre Story of Britain’s Last Great Auk

Are Eggs Dairy?