Extinct birds on the ballot for New Zealand"s avian beauty contest
Five extinct species have been included on the ballot to find New Zealand's most popular feathered friend as competition organizers hope to draw attention to endangered birds......»»
As No Mow May ends, here"s why we should keep patches of lawn permanently wild
Over the last century, nearly all of the UK's wildflower meadows have been destroyed by expanding farms, towns and cities. This loss of habitat has driven nature's decline, according to research led by birds and nature conservation charity the RSPB......»»
Alpacas in Idaho test positive for H5N1 bird flu in another world first
The alpacas were known to be in close contact with infected birds. Enlarge / Suri alpacas on a farm in Pennsylvania. (credit: Getty | Susan L. Angstadt) Four backyard alpacas in southern Idaho have tested positive for hi.....»»
US has worst bird flu outbreak in two years at Iowa egg farm
Deadly bird flu was detected in an egg-laying chicken flock in Iowa, affecting 4.2 million birds in the biggest U.S. outbreak since 2022......»»
Small birds boast range of flight styles thanks to evolutionary edge
Small birds have explored a wide variety of styles of flight, ranging from hovering hummingbirds to bounding sparrows to soaring swifts and swallows. A new Cornell University study could explain why......»»
Millions more trees isn"t the climate fix New Zealand thought
Of all the solutions for a warming world, "plant more trees" seems pretty obvious......»»
What makes a "good farmer" in Aotearoa?
In New Zealand, farmers and the largely urban general public are held to have differing views on what is meant by being a "good farmer." Anecdotally, farmers see themselves as stewards of the land for future generations, using management practices th.....»»
Scientists report unified framework for diverse aurorae across planets
The awe-inspiring aurorae seen on Earth, known as the Northern and Southern Lights, have been a source of fascination for centuries. Between May 10 and 12, 2024, the most powerful aurora event in 21 years reminded us of the stunning beauty of these c.....»»
Setting minimum targets for wildlife conservation excludes restoration and ecosystem management, researcher argues
Although the grizzly is featured prominently on the California state flag, the golden bear has been extinct in the wild since the 1920s......»»
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina.....»»
Up close and personal, cicadas display Nature"s artwork. Discerning beholders find beauty in bugs.
With rich reds, gentle greens and basic blacks, Nature's screaming, crawling artwork is the epitome of rare beauty—at least in the eyes of some beholders. To others, it may seem just creepy......»»
NASA launches ground-breaking climate change satellite
A tiny NASA satellite was launched Saturday from New Zealand with the mission of improving climate change prediction by measuring heat escaping from Earth's poles for the first time......»»
Researchers reconstruct genome of extinct species of flightless bird that once roamed the islands of New Zealand
A team of evolutionary biologists at Harvard University, working with colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, East Carolina University, Osaka University and the University of Toronto, has reconstructed the genome of an e.....»»
Structured early literacy approach achieves outstanding results for children in New Zealand
A New Zealand-developed structured literacy program is delivering outstanding results for Kiwi children, new research by the University Of Canterbury shows......»»
Birdsong and human voice built from same genetic blueprint
Humans have long been fascinated by bird song and the cacophony of other avian sounds—from coos and honks to quacks and peeps. But little is known about how the unique vocal organ of birds—the syrinx—varies from species to species or its deeper.....»»
"Facebook probably knows I sell drugs"—how young people"s digital footprints can threaten their future prospects
Social media and messaging apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Messenger are increasingly used to buy and sell drugs in many countries. New Zealand is no exception......»»
Ancient people hunted now extinct elephants at Tagua Tagua Lake in Chile 12,000 years ago, study finds
Thousands of years ago, early hunter-gatherers returned regularly to Tagua Tagua Lake in Chile to hunt ancient elephants and take advantage of other local resources, according to a study published May 22 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Rafael.....»»
Chickens, ducks, seals and cows: A dangerous bird flu strain is knocking on Australia"s door
A dangerous strain of avian influenza (bird flu) is now wreaking havoc on every continent except Australia and the rest of Oceania. While we remain free from this strain for now, it's only a matter of time before it arrives......»»
Wild birds possess genetic predispositions to learn population-specific songs, study finds
Genetic predispositions guide population-specific song learning in wild birds, shows new research from Stockholm University. By studying adult pied flycatchers that had been translocated as eggs from the Netherlands to Sweden, the researchers found t.....»»
How do birds communicate? Network science models are opening up new possibilities for experts
Nature lovers will know the scene well. A flurry of birdsong, a shake of a tree and out pops a flock of birds flying away in unison together......»»
Homo sapiens facilitated establishment of Bonelli"s eagle in the Mediterranean 50,000 years ago, study finds
Spanish and Portuguese scientists have unraveled the ancestral history of one of the most iconic birds of prey in the current Iberian fauna, the Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata). The work, published in the journal People and Nature, integrates evide.....»»