Birds News

Birds sing 'hot weather warning' to unborn chicks

Bird song varies and birds sing differently for different reasons. In a remarkable find scientists have discovered that birds sing to their unborn chicks to warn them of hot weather.

Bird friendly gardens can cause more harm than good

By Tim Sandle

Plenty of books and magazine articles encourage people to design their gardens in different ways to attract more birds. A new study suggests this can often causes harm to birds.

Methylmercury now being found in Southern Ocean fish and birds

By Karen Graham

Methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin has been found in sea ice in the Southern Ocean, according to new research. This latest study demonstrates how sea ice bacteria can change mercury into its more lethal form, contaminating marine life and birds.

Feather-degrading bacteria harming birds

By Tim Sandle

An explanation has been provided for a serious disease of birds where the feathers rot away and fall off. This disease is caused by feather-degrading bacteria. The solution requires a joined-up approach to conservation.

Red kites in Scotland have taken to stealing underwear

By Tim Sandle

Aberdeen - Red kites have been swooping down when swimmers peel off their clothes take a dip at a popular bathing spot near Glen Esk in Scotland. What are the birds doing with the garments?

Exotic pet trade sends Florida bird rescues soaring

By AFP

Miami - In this small animal hospital perched on Miami's sun-splashed harbor, some of the most exotic creatures fly in and out of Carla Zepeda's life.

Male peacocks twerk to attract hens

By Tim Sandle

A new study, using slow-motion capture photography, has revealed that male peacocks undertake a series of movements, including a move that resembles twerking, it to attract peahens.

Seeds may have helped birds survive extinction of the dinosaurs

By Megan Hamilton

While there's plenty of evidence to suggest that dinosaurs were already in decline millions of years before the asteroid impact that spelled their doom, we know that those small, feathered theropod dinosaurs, otherwise known as birds, did survive.

The smartness of crows revealed through brain study

By Tim Sandle

Crows are one of the smartest birds known and they have an incredible memory. A new insight, based on brain activity in the birds, reveals why these birds have such effective memory recall.

Botulism affecting Spain’s waterbirds

By Tim Sandle

Madrid - A large number of waterbirds have been killed in Spain in recent years due to the bacterial disease botulism. It is thought the infection is being spread by an invasive species of water snail.

Bird revives another bird: Video

By Tim Sandle

Are birds capable of altruistic behavior? A new video suggests so. The scene, shot in Saudi Arabia, shows a robin slapping wings and stroking unconscious partners using its beak. The bird regains consciousness and flies away.

Big Garden Bird Watch is on

By Tim Sandle

This week over one million people in the U.K. are taking part in the 'Big Garden Bird Watch,' an example of mass participation of citizen science in action.

Photo essay: Alberta's winter bird species Special

By Kyle Ashmead

As winter sets in across Alberta many bird species head south, but even with the cold weather and deep snow some birds stick around. They are the hardy few, which make Alberta and Canada their year-round home.

Watch adorable birds tap-dance while attracting a mate

By Tim Sandle

An enchanting video has been released showing adorable and colourful birds undertake a rhythmical dance, replete with toe-tapping action, in a bid to attract a mate.

Captive female snake without male companion gives birth – again

By Megan Hamilton

Cape Girardeau - For the second year in a row, a captive female snake in southern Missouri has given birth even though she hasn't been anywhere near a male snake for eight years. The yellow–bellied water snake gave birth in 2014, and then did it again this summer.

Scientists: Strange lizard-like reptile is earliest known turtle

By Megan Hamilton

Scientists have now solved an important piece of the turtle evolution puzzle. Recent fossil evidence has helped paleontologists prove that turtles share a recent common ancestor with birds, lizards, and crocodiles.

Special abilities of the hummingbird’s tongue revealed

By Tim Sandle

Hummingbird tongues function as elastic micropumps instead of simple thin tubes, researchers have reported. This insight into the birds is not shared by all biologists.

South African birds reveal parasite diversity

By Tim Sandle

The colorful and varied birds of South Africa contain a range of different pathogens and parasites. Among this array of microscopic organisms are the single-celled animals that cause malaria. The range has surprised scientists.

The robin is selected as the U.K.’s national bird

By Tim Sandle

A recent campaign to select the U.K.’s most popular bird has been concluded and the winner, unsurprisingly to many, is the robin. The European male variety is distinguished by a distinctive red breast.

Dinosaurs really were warm-blooded, study suggests

By Megan Hamilton

Dinosaurs grew quickly and were warm-blooded just like modern mammals, says a scientist who researched the metabolism of these ancient creatures.

Canadian opens miniature bar for local birds

By Daniel Woods

In Canada a bird enthusiast has designed and built a miniature bar, complete with TV and Coke machine, offering refreshments to local avians.

Cute, colorful jumping spiders can see more colors than humans do

By Megan Hamilton

Sometimes surprises come in tiny packages. That's the case with jumping spiders, scientists have found. Scientists know that jumpers have excellent vision. What they didn't know until now is that these little creatures can see more colors than we do.

Like the canary in a coalmine, birds tell real story of Fukushima

By Karen Graham

Like a canary in a coalmine, birds are a good indicator of the quality of an environment. A study has found that Fukushima prefecture has not been friendly to our feathered friends since that fateful day four years ago, and things are not getting better.