Science

Albatross Wearing Data Trackers Are Exposing Illegal Fishing Boats
January 27, 2020 — The seabirds' knack for finding fishing vessels could help authorities crack down on crimes on the high seas.
This Is PigeonBot, the World's Most Bird-Like Flying Robot Yet
January 24, 2020 — Researchers have gleaned new insights (and some feathers) from Rock Pigeons that further unravel the mysteries of avian flight.
Cookies, Honey, Tangerines, Manure—These Birds Have Some Strange Scents
January 23, 2020 — There's still a lot scientists don't know about odor in the avian world, but this much is clear: Some species really smell.
Hummingbirds Owe Their Shimmer to Microscopic Pancake-Like Structures
January 17, 2020 — New research shows how extra-complex melanosomes in hummingbird feathers make light dance in fascinating ways.
No, 5G Radio Waves Do Not Kill Birds
January 14, 2020 — Here's the truth behind a Facebook falsehood spreading across the internet.
Some Wisconsin Birds Are Already Moving to Canada Due to Climate Change
January 10, 2020 — The state's newest bird atlas shows species shifting northward over the past 20 years—a pattern that is being seen nationwide, experts say.
Plan to Lift Roadless Protections Will Likely Cause Extinctions in Alaska’s Tongass
December 20, 2019 — Our biggest national forest is home to species found nowhere else, but proposed logging threatens the habitat they need to survive, writes Natalie Dawson, a biologist and executive director of ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Alaska.
Those Big Orange Bills Also Help Puffins Stay Cool After a Workout
December 20, 2019 — Good for more than just attracting a mate, the clownish feature appears to keep the subpar fliers from overheating.
The Key to the Christmas Bird Count's 120 Years of Success? The People.
December 13, 2019 — Drones and trail cams may be increasingly common in avian monitoring, but ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's CBC remains dependent on dedicated humans.
Humans Drove the Only Native U.S. Parrot Extinct, Says New DNA Study
December 12, 2019 — The Carolina Parakeet was ubiquitous in the southeast a century ago. A new genetic study suggests it went extinct abruptly, killed off by people.