Ardern in a flap as wren rocks N. Zealand"s bird beauty contest
A tiny mountain-dwelling wren was the surprise winner Monday of New Zealand's controversial bird of the year competition, which even had Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a flap......»»
New 400-year temperature record shows Great Barrier Reef is facing catastrophic damage, researchers warn
The Great Barrier Reef is under critical pressure, with warming sea temperatures and mass coral bleaching events threatening to destroy the remarkable ecology, biodiversity, and beauty of the world's largest coral reef, according to new research......»»
Study shows renewables raise food prices
As countries including Aotearoa New Zealand embrace renewable energy production, a recent study sheds light on some overlooked impacts of this transition......»»
Troubling bird flu study suggests human cases are going undetected
A small sample of farm workers is enough to confirm fears about H5N1 outbreak. Enlarge (credit: Tony C. French/Getty) A small study in Texas suggests that human bird flu cases are being missed on dairy farms where the H5.....»»
How large turkey vultures remain aloft in thin air
Mountain hikes are invigorating. Crisp air and clear views can refresh the soul, but thin air presents an additional challenge for high-altitude birds. "All else being equal, bird wings produce less lift in low density air," says Jonathan Rader from.....»»
Retreating Andean rocks signal the world"s glaciers are melting far faster than predicted, report scientists
Rocks recently exposed to the sky after being covered with prehistoric ice show that tropical glaciers have shrunk to their smallest size in more than 11,700 years, revealing the tropics have already warmed past limits last seen earlier in the Holoce.....»»
Penguin wing fossil shows importance of Zealandia in penguin evolution
Three small fossil penguin bones, collected in South Canterbury in 1987, are now shedding new light on how penguin wings have evolved. A new study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, describes a new species of penguin that.....»»
As fatal virus looms over bald eagles, NJ conservationists fight to keep the bird on the endangered species list
The New Jersey Conservation Foundation, a major environmental group working within the state, is pleading with wildlife officials not to remove bald eagles from the endangered species list as planned, saying a virus that's killing peregrine falcons w.....»»
Mass extinction 66 million years ago triggered rapid evolution of bird genomes, study finds
Shortly after an asteroid slammed into Earth 66 million years ago, life for non-avian dinosaurs ended, but the evolutionary story for the early ancestors of birds began......»»
Researchers explore cancer susceptibility in birds
In one of the largest studies of cancer susceptibility across bird species, researchers at Arizona State University describe an intriguing relationship between reproductive rates and cancer susceptibility......»»
What is a smart bird feeder?
Trying to decide between buying a smart bird feeder and standard bird feeder? Here's everything you need to know about smart bird feeders to help you decide......»»
Research shows that brown treesnakes frequently kill prey too large to swallow
Brown treesnakes are not indigenous to Guam. The species arrived shortly after World War II, perhaps aboard shipping vessels. Since then, they have caused the local or total extinction of most native forest bird species......»»
Imaging below the surface reveals one of Los Angeles"s webs of faults
A major fault is often surrounded by a web of secondary faults created as the forces that cause slip deform nearby rocks. This damage zone can act as a record of fault activity, but what we can learn from it—such as how the fault may behave during.....»»
The Bird Flu Threat Keeps Growing
Human cases keep ticking up, are very likely to be underreported, and offer the virus the opportunity to learn how to spread from person to person......»»
Paris Olympics: Canada"s soccer drone scandal highlights the need for ethics education
The Canadian women's soccer team has become the center of controversy after reports from the 2024 Paris Olympics revealed the team used a drone to observe the New Zealand soccer team's training sessions. That has led to New Zealand's team lodging a f.....»»
Ghosts of species past: Shedding new light on the demise of NZ"s moa can help other flightless birds
New Zealand was once home to giant flightless birds called moa. They had grown accustomed to life without predators. So the arrival of humans in the mid-13th century presented a massive—and ultimately insurmountable—challenge to their existence......»»
Developing a nano-treatment to help save mangroves from deadly disease
Mangroves and palm trees are hallmarks of the Sunshine State not just for their beauty but for their immense importance to Florida's coastlines......»»
New Zealand “deeply shocked” after Canada drone-spied on its Olympic practices—twice
Two Canadians have already been sent home over the incident. Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) On July 22, the New Zealand women's football (soccer) team was training in Saint-Étienne, France, for its upcom.....»»
Transgender athletes face an uncertain future at the Olympics as reactionary policies gain ground
At the last Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard made history as the first openly transgender athlete in Olympic history. American transgender and non-binary runner Nikki Hiltz recently qualified for the 2024 Paris G.....»»
New study supports stable mantle chemistry dating back to Earth"s early geologic history
A new analysis of rocks thought to be at least 2.5 billion years old by researchers at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History helps clarify the chemical history of Earth's mantle—the geologic layer beneath the planet's crust......»»
Counter-drug strategies in Central America are worsening deforestation, threatening many species of birds
Activities associated with cocaine trafficking threaten two-thirds of the most important landscapes in Central America for 196 forest bird species, including 67 migratory species. This is the key takeaway from a study that colleagues and I published.....»»