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Birds-of-paradise have long fascinated scientists with their dazzling courtship displays, but new research reveals they have an even more striking secret—they glow under ultraviolet light! Scientists have discovered widespread biofluorescence in these birds, with males showcasing neon hues on their ...

Worried your backyard bird feeder makes birds dependent? New research says relax—they’re just fine without it. Oregon State University researchers have some good news for the well-meaning masses who place bird feeders in their yards: The small songbirds who visit the feeders seem unlikely to develop...

Researchers discovered that poisonous frogs and birds likely rely on “toxin sponge” proteins, rather than resistant sodium channels, to avoid self-intoxication from batrachotoxin.  A team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Stanford University, and the Califo...

New study finds females who look like males get more food. New research on the glittering white-necked jacobin hummingbird reveals nearly 20% of the species’ adult females have male-like plumage. Why? To dodge bullies and get better access to food, according to new Cornell research. The findings wer...

Some female Jacobin hummingbirds keep their flashy juvenile colors to evade male aggression, a rare example of social selection shaping bird plumage. Much like in human society, female hummingbirds have taken it into their own hands to avoid harassment. By watching white-necked Jacobin hummingbirds ...

Birds’ gut bacteria change with geography, suggesting microbiomes help them adapt to different environments. The trillions of bacteria living in our guts play a crucial role in our ability to digest food and fight off disease. All other animals also have communities of bacteria living inside t...

The findings shed new light on how warning signals and toxicity may have evolved in insect prey. Young birds that eat insects with conspicuous warning coloration to advertise their toxicity to would-be predators quickly learn to avoid other prey that carry the same markings. Developing on this under...

Birds Join the Truffle Lovers Club Humans like truffles, as do many mammals. Now new evidence suggests that birds may also seek out and disperse these ecologically important fungi. A study conducted by University of Florida researchers found that two common ground-dwelling bird species in Patagonia ...

Migratory birds evolve lighter plumage to stay cool on long flights, reflecting solar heat more effectively than darker-feathered resident species. Migratory birds are specially adapted to find their way over extreme distances that represent remarkable tests of endurance. Now, researchers reported o...

Animal-dispersed plants’ ability to keep pace with climate change reduced by 60%. Recent research shows a significant impact on plant adaptation to climate change due to decreased seed dispersal by birds and mammals. This affects plant migration and biodiversity, with potential solutions inclu...

A new study published on January 27, 2022) in Science Magazine has shed light on how birds navigate back to their breeding site after flying across two continents. Magnetic information seems to play a key role. The study, part of an international collaboration led by researchers at the University of...

Approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers) from the westernmost reach of China’s Great Wall, paleontologists found relics of an even more ancient world. Over the last two decades, teams of researchers unearthed more than 100 specimens of fossil birds that lived approximately 120 million years ago, duri...

Hummingbirds face significant challenges at high altitudes, including reduced metabolic rates and increased torpor, suggesting they may shift northward as climate change alters their habitats. Any animal ascending a mountain experiences a double whammy of difficulties: the air gets thinner while it ...

Seeing or hearing birds is associated with an improvement in mental well-being that can last up to eight hours, according to new research from King’s College London. This mental improvement from seeing or hearing birds was also evident in people with a diagnosis of depression, which is the most comm...

Bird Species With Extreme or Rare Combinations of Traits Face the Greatest Danger of Extinction According to a new study performed by Imperial College London scientists, the most unique birds on the globe are also the most endangered. The extinction of these species and the unique roles they serve i...

Changes in Bird Behavior Persist Long After the Fireworks Are Gone Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz, Germany, and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology used GPS tracking to study the migration patterns of Arctic geese in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands du...

The discovery of Janavis finalidens reveals that modern birds’ mobile beaks evolved before dinosaurs’ extinction, reshaping our understanding of bird evolution. Fossilized remains of a skeleton found within a small rock have challenged a long-held belief about the evolution of modern bir...

Polygamy in Birds Aids Natural Selection by Reducing Harmful Mutations According to a study led by the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, bird species that engage in multiple sexual partnerships have fewer damaging mutations. This study, published in Evolution, provides the first...

The UCLA study has the potential to enhance scientists’ understanding of the dangers faced by birds and their capacity for adaptation. It is widely understood that adverse weather conditions can disorient birds during their fall migrations, leading them to end up in unfamiliar territory. But w...

Eggshell DNA analysis has revealed a new lineage of Madagascar’s extinct elephant birds, highlighting their diversity and ecological role. More than 1,200 years ago, flightless elephant birds roamed the island of Madagascar and laid eggs bigger than footballs. While these ostrich-like giants are now...

Seeds and fat balls do more than just fill small birds’ stomachs. New research from Lund University in Sweden shows that feeding during the wintertime causes birds to be healthier, since they do not have to expend as much energy fighting infections. A small change in body temperature can be fatal fo...

Over the last 30 years, European breeding birds have shifted their range by, on average, 2.4 km (1.5 miles) per year, according to a recent study. This shift, however, didn’t align with the expectations based on changing climate and land cover during that period. Researchers anticipated that s...

A study uncovers a strong link between vocal learning complexity and cognitive abilities in songbirds, with birds exhibiting more intricate vocal mimicry also showcasing superior problem-solving skills and having proportionally larger brains. The relationship between vocal learning complexity and co...