Science

Nuthatches Take Up Nannying When There’s a Shortage of Mates
March 28, 2019 — A forest experiment in Florida reveals what drives male Brown-headed Nuthatches to care for other couples’ chicks.
Cryptic Seabirds Can Hide From This Scientist, But Not From Her Spy Network
March 25, 2019 — Acoustic monitoring combined with powerful machine learning is giving researchers new insights into the elusive Ashy Storm-Petrel. It's just one way that artificial intelligence can tackle pressing conservation challenges.
Watch How Hummingbird Hackers Keep Up With Their Quick, Tiny Subjects
March 22, 2019 — More scientists are embracing inventive ways to decode the biology and behavior of a unique bird family.
Why Birders Are Putting Stickers on Monarch Butterflies
March 21, 2019 — A community-science project helps conservationists understand—and protect—the imperiled migratory species.
How a Hunting Raptor Could Teach Us to Tune Out Distractions
March 21, 2019 — To treat human disorders like ADHD, neuroscientist Shreesh Mysore has unlocked the key to the Barn Owl’s extraordinary focus.
How the Biggest Birds on Earth Could Help Fend Off Epidemics
March 21, 2019 — Veterinarian Yasuhiro Tuskamoto has a flock of 500 Ostriches—and, in their huge eggs, a way to fight infectious diseases.
How a Common Street Bird Could Coach Doctors Against a Bad Diagnosis
March 21, 2019 — Psychologist Edward Wasserman’s work with pigeon perception may lead to new strategies for detecting cancer and heart disease.
How Birds Are Helping Scientists Reimagine a Feathered T. Rex
March 12, 2019 — New insights about the predator's brains, speed, and appearance are being discovered by comparing fossilized dinosaurs to their living relatives.
For All Their Splendor, We Still Know Little About Painted Bunting Migration
March 08, 2019 — A research project using geolocators aims to help scientists better understand where the birds overwinter and recent population declines.
Better Know a Bird: How Harris’s Hawks Hunt Like Wolves to Bring Down Prey
March 05, 2019 — Teaming up helps these agile raptors take on animals twice their size. But we’re still not sure why they stand on each other.