BIRDS

This Crow’s Beak Evolved to Wield Tools

The beak’s unique shape lets the birds use tools without blocking their vision.

Scientists Say Fancy Pigeons’ Floofy Feet Are Actually Partial Wings

The gene associated with feathery feet is also known for creating forelimbs—and in birds, this means wings.

9 Ways Dinosaurs Are Just Like Birds

A new exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History argues that birds are just another kind of dinosaur.

Why You’ll Never See an American Bird Species in a Movie

U.S. law prohibits domestic birds from being used as actors.

7 Things That Could Ruin Your Day in Antarctica

Oddly enough, frostbite may be the least of your concerns.

Wolfgang Wander via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Woodpeckers Assess Competitors by Their Drumming Skills

Woodpecker couples decide together whether or not they need to defend their territory by gauging the strength of potential threats.

Bird Chirps Have a Syntax

Some birds communicate different meanings based on the order of the notes they sing.

Everglades Alligators Keep Birds Safe (and Eat Their Chicks)

Birds nest near alligators for protection, and the alligators get fat off fallen chicks, a new study finds.

Shenrich91 via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Black Widows’ Hourglass Markings Deter Potential Predators

Bugs, however, can’t see the warning signs.

How Do Birds Know How to Migrate?

Sometimes, they follow their noses.

Dodos Were Probably Pretty Smart, Study Finds

A study of what dodos' brains probably looked like suggests they were about as intelligent as pigeons—which are pretty smart.

Enormous Prehistoric Birds May Have Roamed the Canadian Arctic

Researchers say 'Gastornis' was six feet tall, flightless, and vegan.

World’s Oldest Known Wild Bird, Wisdom the Albatross, Is a Mother Again

Wisdom has been breaking records—and she's already raised as many as 40 chicks.

screenshot from infrared video by Animal Energetics / Powers Lab

Infrared Video Shows How Hummingbirds Shed Heat Through Their Eyes and Feet

Getting rid of excess heat is complicated when your body is covered in insulating feathers. Here's how hummingbirds do it.

Illustration by Henrik Grönvold via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Science Explains This Duck’s Rare Pink Feathers

Scanning a long-dead museum specimen revealed a pigment rarely found in ducks.

Keith Ramos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Migrating Whooping Cranes Will No Longer Get a Plane Escort from the Government

A 15-year experiment in using ultralight planes to teach young, endangered birds to migrate has come to an end.

10 Crimson Facts About Cardinals

Every year, these crested songbirds add a welcome dash of color to the drab wintery months. Let’s get a little better acquainted with our rosy, non-migratory neighbors

These Parrots Are the First Animals to Use Grinding Tools

Out of 300-plus parrot species, only a handful have been known to use tools. Now, a new study suggests that the greater vasa parrot (Coracopsis vasa) can be added to that short list.

Show & Tell: 17th-Century Falcon's Hood

An ornate—but very necessary—item for a sport enmeshed in Britain's social hierarchy.

As Darwin's Finches Face Extinction, Study Offers New Hope of Saving Them

Parasitic flies have driven Galapagos finches to the brink of extinction, but research suggests we may be able to help bring population numbers back up.

Flickr user Rocky via Wikimedia Commons // CC-BY-2.0

Norwegian Eagles Are Taking Out Full-Grown Reindeer

Golden eagles had previously been caught on film attacking baby reindeer, but now a naturalist has seen them going for the grown-ups.

It Takes One Penguin to Break Up a Huddle

Even in the coldest place on earth, this heat-conserving method can work a little too well.

RoderickT via Wikimedia Commons // CC-BY-SA 2.0

Seabird Poop Carries Ocean Pollution Ashore

The birds eat our garbage, then return to shore to do their business.

11 of the Hottest Bird Dance Moves

It’s an avian dance party, and everyone’s invited.

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