Feathers Provide Insight into Contamination
Using analytical chemistry techniques to analyze feathers, scientists gain a better understanding of environmental contamination
birds
How Animals Understand Numbers Influences Chance of Survival
A recent review explores the current literature on how different animal species comprehend numbers and the impact on their survival
Discovery of Smallest Known Mesozoic Dinosaur Reveals New Species
The specimen's unique anatomical features point to one of the smallest and most ancient birds ever found
Frozen Bird Turns out to Be 46,000-Year-Old Horned Lark
In 2018, a well-preserved frozen bird was found in the ground in the Belaya Gora area of northeastern Siberia
Fifty Years of Data Show New Changes in Bird Migration
Analyzing almost 150,000 individual records, researchers found that the timing of the birds' spring migration has advanced over the last 50 years
African Grey Parrots Spontaneously 'Lend a Wing'
Researchers have shown for the first time that some birds—and specifically African grey parrots—are helpful in the same way that humans and other great apes are
Falcons See Prey at Speed of Formula 1 Car
Two factors are crucial when a peregrine falcon bears down on its prey at a speed of more than 350 kilometers per hour
The Impact of Human-Caused Noise Pollution on Birds
Researchers explore the value of continent-wide analyses
A Tour of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History Labs
An inside look at the laboratories that support a world-renowned attraction
New Study Finds US and Canada Have Lost More Than 1 in 4 Birds in the past 50 Years
The findings showed that of nearly 3 billion birds lost, 90 percent belong to 12 bird families, including sparrows, warblers, finches, and swallows—common, widespread species