How Do Birds Know When to Migrate?
Lengthening days set off a cascade of events in migratory birds that culminates in the birth of a clutch of chicks.....»»
Shedding Light On the Mechanism of Magnetic Sensing In Birds
For some time, a collaboration of biologists, chemists and physicists centered at the Universities of Oldenburg (Germany) and Oxford (UK) have been gathering evidence suggesting that the magnetic sense of migratory birds such as European robins is ba.....»»
Quantum birds: Shedding light on the mechanism of magnetic sensing in birds
Humans perceive the world around them with five senses—vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Many other animals are also able to sense the Earth's magnetic field. For some time, a collaboration of biologists, chemists and physicists centered at.....»»
Bird migration takes plants in wrong direction to cope with climate change
Migratory birds carry most seeds in the wrong direction to help plants cope with climate change, new research shows......»»
Researchers use phylogenetics to untangle convergent adaptation in birds
Researchers from Skoltech and their colleagues have shown that adaptation to similar environments hardly involves similar genomic positions when species are distantly related. The team investigated recurrent adaptations of wildlife birds' mitochondri.....»»
Butterflies cross the Sahara in longest-known insect migration
A species of butterfly found in Sub-Saharan Africa is able to migrate thousands of miles to Europe, crossing the Saharan Desert, in years when weather conditions are favorable, scientists have found......»»
Smaller bodies, longer wings, earlier migrations: Untangling the multiple impacts of climate warming on birds
When a University of Michigan-led research team reported last year that North American migratory birds have been getting smaller over the past four decades and that their wings have gotten a bit longer, the scientists wondered if they were seeing the.....»»
Animals" ability to adapt their habitats key to survival amid climate change
Birds build nests to keep eggs and baby nestlings warm during cool weather, but also make adjustments in nest insulation in such a way the little ones can keep cool in very hot conditions. Mammals, such as rabbits or groundhogs, sleep or hibernate in.....»»
What factors put Philippine birds at risk of extinction?
The lush forests and more than 7,000 islands of the Philippines hold a rich diversity of life, with 258 bird species who live nowhere but the Philippine archipelago. A new study from University of Utah researchers suggests that due to deforestation a.....»»
Counting mammals, birds and dung beetles could be vital for saving the Amazon
The Amazon rainforest holds around 50% of all remaining rainforests on the planet, while hosting more than 400 species of mammal, 1700 species of bird and an unknown number of insect species numbering in the millions. It is also vital for maintaining.....»»
Young birds do household chores
Young birds support their parents in raising youngsters, defending the territory and keeping predators at bay. This social behavior, exhibited by birds such as the mousebird, appear to contradict the prevailing theory of evolution: young birds even s.....»»
More than a bumpy ride: Turbulence offers boost to birds
Most sensible air travelers dread turbulence. A little atmospheric hiccup can shake airplanes, rattle nerves and spill beverages. A Cornell University-led study found that birds don't mind at all......»»
Skatebird gets a new trailer and official summer release date
Skatebird, a new skating game from Glass Bottom Games, will combine Tony Hawk skating mechanics with radical birds when it launches later this year......»»
For love of birds: Backyard sleuths boost scientists" work
Georgetown University ecologist Emily Williams first became fascinated with birds not because of their beauty, or their sweet songs. She was riveted by their extraordinary travels......»»
This smart sensor gives you a first row seat to birds singing in your backyard
Terra pipes real-world nature sounds into your home, and helps track bird migration too!.....»»
Noise and light pollution can change which birds visit our backyards
A new study reports that birds across the continental U.S. tend to avoid backyard feeders in louder areas. When light and noise pollution were both present, even more species stayed away......»»
Turning off lights can save migrating birds from crashing into buildings
Every night during the spring and fall migration seasons, thousands of birds are killed when they crash into illuminated windows, disoriented by the light. But a new study in PNAS shows that darkening just half of a building's windows can make a big.....»»
The Story Behind Many Bird Names
Some 150 birds named for people tied to slavery and white supremacy could eventually get new monikers as part of an ongoing reckoning with racism within the world of birding. The Verge: That includes Jameson's firefinch, named for a British naturalis.....»»
Researchers perform magic tricks for birds, who are not amused
Can an animal without hands recognize when humans are using sleight-of-hand tricks? Enlarge / A Eurasian jay takes a skeptical view of magic. (credit: Luc Viatour) Most magic tricks require a fairly sophisticated understanding of how humans pe.....»»
Songbirds can control single vocal muscle fibers when singing
The melodic and diverse songs of birds frequently inspire pop songs and poems, and have been for centuries, all the way back to Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" or "The Nightingale" by H.C. Andersen......»»
Mockingbird song decoded
The North American mockingbird is famous for its ability to imitate the song of other birds. But it doesn't just mimic its kindred species, it actually composes its own songs based on other birds' melodies. An interdisciplinary research team has now.....»»