Vegetarian birds more sociable than insect eaters
Weaver birds that eat seeds flock together and nest in colonies more commonly than those species that eat insects, suggests new research by an international team of scientists led by the Milner Center for Evolution at the University of Bath. For the.....»»
Five people infected as bird flu appears to go from cows to chickens to humans
High temperatures made it hard for workers to use protective gear during culling. Enlarge (credit: Getty | Edwin Remsberg) The highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus that spilled from wild birds into US dairy cows.....»»
On NYC beaches, angry birds fight drones patrolling for sharks and struggling swimmers
A fleet of drones patrolling New York City's beaches for signs of sharks and struggling swimmers is drawing backlash from an aggressive group of seaside residents: local shorebirds......»»
On NYC beaches, angry birds are fighting drones on patrol for sharks and swimmers
A fleet of drones patrolling New York City's beaches for signs of sharks and struggling swimmers is drawing backlash from an aggressive group of seaside residents: local shorebirds......»»
In Cuba, a haven for the world"s tiniest bird
The wings of the world's tiniest birds are a near-invisible blur as they whizz around tourists visiting a private Cuban garden that has become a haven for the declining species......»»
Scientists pay tribute to tennis players with new insect species named after them
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will go down in history as two of the greatest tennis players of our time, but their names have also been immortalized in science, as two new insect species were just named in honor of the athletes......»»
How artificial intelligence can help prevent illegal wildlife trade
Imagine you are a law enforcement official at a wildlife market and suspect some of the birds on sale are from endangered or illegally traded populations. This is a situation that demands decisive identification and action, but in cases where "look-a.....»»
Starlings" migratory behavior found to be inherited, not learned
Young, naïve starlings are looking for their wintering grounds independently of experienced conspecifics. Starlings are highly social birds throughout the year, but this does not mean that they copy the migration route from each other......»»
High-altitude cave used by Tibetan Buddhists yields a Denisovan fossil
Cave deposits yield bones of sheep, yaks, carnivores, and birds that were butchered. Enlarge / The Baishiya Karst Cave, where the recently analyzed samples were obtained. (credit: Dongju Zhang’s group (Lanzhou University)).....»»
Some birds win and some lose with sea level rise, expert says
Global sea level rise is accelerating every year due to climate change, and it could threaten the very existence of some coastal bird species......»»
Saturday Citations: The sound of music, sneaky birds, better training for LLMs. Plus: Diversity improves research
In the small fishing village where I grew up, we didn't have much. But we helped our neighbors, raised our children to respect the sea, and embraced an inclusive scientific methodology with a cross section of sex, race and gender among study particip.....»»
Greener, more effective termite control: Natural compound attracts wood eaters
UC Riverside scientists have discovered a highly effective, nontoxic, and less expensive way to lure hungry termites to their doom......»»
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......»»
Insect frass becomes food for protein-rich microalgae
As the demand for protein-rich food increases with population growth and rising awareness of nutrition and health, traditional animal and plant-based protein sources that require arable land or freshwater put significant pressure on land and resource.....»»
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.....»»
Butterflies, bees, bugs and more: The summer of insect-counting gets underway in Germany
In a strip of greenery between Berlin's Natural History Museum and a busy street, bumble bees move swiftly between flowers while a ladybug makes its way along a leaf full of aphids and bugs crawl about......»»
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......»»
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.....»»
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......»»