Articles for tag: Birds

Crows Hold Funerals—And Sometimes Bring Gifts to Humans

Crows Hold Funerals—And Sometimes Bring Gifts to Humans

Annette Uy

Have you ever wondered if animals grieve like humans do? Imagine a scene where crows gather solemnly around a fallen comrade, their dark feathers shimmering in the sunlight, as if they are mourning. This isn’t a figment of a storyteller’s imagination; it’s a fascinating reality. Crows, the intelligent birds often associated with mystery and magic, ...

The Battle to Save the Hawaiian Crow: A Bird With a Tool Belt

The Battle to Save the Hawaiian Crow: A Bird With a Tool Belt

Annette Uy

Imagine a bird so clever it crafts its own tools, a feathered genius whose very existence teeters on the edge of extinction. The Hawaiian crow, or ‘Alalā, isn’t just another pretty bird in paradise. It’s a symbol of intelligence, resilience, and the fierce struggle against the odds. Once a vibrant presence in Hawaii’s forests, this ...

The Bird That Can Nap While Flying: How Albatrosses Pull Off the Ultimate Power Nap

The Bird That Can Nap While Flying: How Albatrosses Pull Off the Ultimate Power Nap

Annette Uy

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sleep while soaring through the sky? For the majestic albatross, this isn’t just a fantasy—it’s a reality. These remarkable birds have mastered the art of napping mid-flight, a skill that has fascinated scientists and bird enthusiasts alike. Imagine gliding over vast ocean expanses, wings outstretched, ...

What Modern Flightless Birds Can Tell Us About Feather Function in Dinosaurs

What Modern Flightless Birds Can Tell Us About Feather Function in Dinosaurs

Annette Uy

Imagine a world where enormous creatures roamed the earth, their bodies adorned with feathers that fluttered in the prehistoric breeze. Dinosaurs, majestic and mysterious, have captured our imagination for centuries. But what if the answers to some of our questions about these ancient beasts lie not in fossils, but in the living, breathing birds of ...

A flock of birds flying in the sky

Why Do Birds Sometimes Fall from the Sky in Groups?

Suhail Ahmed

  It happens in a blink: a whir of wings, a dark ribbon of life overhead, and then the sickening sight of bodies tumbling earthward. When videos surface – starlings in Europe, blackbirds in Mexico, songbirds over Midwestern streets – the mystery feels almost supernatural. Are these omens, accidents, or something we should have seen ...

selective focus photo of hummingbird perching on pink plastic toy

The Hummingbird’s Heartbeat: How It Survives the Impossible

Suhail Ahmed

  On paper, a hummingbird shouldn’t work. A creature the weight of a nickel that keeps its blood racing, its wings blurring, and its brain alert seems to break the rules every second it’s alive. Yet here it is, hovering over a flower like a tiny helicopter, heart thundering faster than many medical monitors can ...

How Modern Birds Still Carry Ancient Dinosaur DNA in Their Feathers

How Modern Birds Still Carry Ancient Dinosaur DNA in Their Feathers

Annette Uy

Imagine a world where mighty dinosaurs roamed vast landscapes, their presence both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Fast forward millions of years to today, where the descendants of these colossal creatures flutter through our skies, delighting us with their vibrant plumage and melodious songs. Yes, modern birds are the living legacy of dinosaurs, and their feathers are ...

Baya weaver

The Birds That Build Hanging Nests with Built-In Weatherproofing

Annette Uy

In the vast tapestry of avian architecture, few constructions are as fascinating and intricate as the hanging nests built by certain bird species. These nests, dangling gracefully from tree branches, are not only a marvel of engineering but also a testament to the adaptive ingenuity of birds. By weaving together natural materials with precision, these ...

10 U.S. Islands Where Seabirds Are Recovering - Predator Control Wins

10 U.S. Islands Where Seabirds Are Recovering – Predator Control Wins

Gargi Chakravorty

Picture this: on a remote island thirty miles west of San Francisco, researchers discovered something remarkable happening in the sea caves. Baseline and post-eradication monitoring in ten sea caves recorded a nearly 3-fold increase in hatching success from 30% to 85%, due mainly to a drastic reduction in egg predation. It’s a story that’s playing ...

8 American Cities Where Owls Rule the Night - Citizen Science Results

8 American Cities Where Owls Rule the Night – Citizen Science Results

Gargi Chakravorty

The night sky across America holds secrets that only become visible after dusk. In cities from coast to coast, an unexpected phenomenon has captured the attention of scientists and everyday nature enthusiasts alike. Owls, those mysterious hunters of darkness, are not just surviving in our urban environments – they’re thriving in ways that have surprised ...