Articles tagged with Birds
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The American Ornithological Society (AOS) recognizes outstanding contributions to ornithological research, conservation, and publication. This year's awardees include Kristen Ruegg and Hugh Drummond for their work on bird genomics and behavioral ecology.
A new genomic study offers a unique lens for understanding the extinction crisis in Hawai'i, revealing that there is still time to save the critically endangered honeycreeper 'akeke'e. With only 17 species of iconic honeycreepers remaining, efforts to control mosquito populations and conservation breeding programs are underway.
Scientists have discovered fossils of multiple bird species in the Arctic, including diving birds and gull-like birds, that were breeding during the time of the dinosaurs. The findings push back the known record of birds nesting in polar regions by 25-30 million years.
Researchers discovered a novel connection between the amygdala brain region and social learning in zebra finches. Young birds preferred approaching tutors with longer but less frequent songs, suggesting the amygdala plays a role in socially selective behavior. This finding sheds new light on the neural mechanisms underlying song learning.
A Cooper's hawk learned to exploit long car queues at a street intersection to ambush unsuspecting birds. The bird understood the connection between sound signals and increasing car queue lengths, allowing it to hunt with remarkable precision.
The University of Oldenburg has secured funding for three research clusters: Hearing4all, Ocean Floor, and NaviSense. These clusters aim to improve hearing loss prediction, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as animal navigation research. The funding enables the continuation of high-quality research with social relevance.
The American Ornithological Society recognizes outstanding contributions to ornithology and bird conservation by three early-career researchers, Teresa Pegan and Valentina Gómez-Bahamón, who will deliver plenary talks at the 2025 AOS annual meeting in St. Louis, Missouri.
Researchers have made new discoveries about the ancient bird Archaeopteryx, including its ability to fly and its evolutionary history. The Chicago specimen, a well-preserved fossil found in Germany, provides insights into the species' cranial kinesis and soft tissues, challenging previous assumptions about its behavior.
Researchers have discovered that flamingos employ a range of active feeding strategies, including stomping, head jerking and beak chattering, to concentrate brine shrimp and small animals into their mouths. These behaviors create whirlpools and eddies that funnel prey towards the birds' mouths.
A major global review of bird flu in cats found 607 cases, including 302 deaths, from 18 countries and 12 cat species. The virus is highly infectious and can spread through direct contact with infected birds or other mammals, leading to severe symptoms like brain swelling.
Researchers discovered people from both income groups experience meaningful nature connections in community gardens, despite lacking nearby greenspace. Community gardens provide habitat, access to nature, and health benefits for people and biodiversity.
A new study found that some bird species with large geographic ranges and big brains are actually more susceptible to climate change than previously thought. Researchers analyzed data from citizen scientists and found that birds adapted to narrow climate niches, such as the Arctic, are at higher risk from climate change.
A new study finds that Canada is the slowest country to report genetic information about bird flu, with an average time of 618 days. However, the same researchers note that Canada was able to improve its response to COVID-19, highlighting the need for similar urgency in addressing this public health threat.
Researchers studying White-necked Jacobins found a unique caterpillar-like appearance on a newly hatched hummingbird chick, which may be an adaptation to avoid predators. The chick's fluffy down feathers and camouflaged nest suggest potential mimicry or camouflage strategies.
A new study reveals that Galapagos yellow warblers are changing their behavior in response to traffic noise, with those living near roads showing increased aggression. The birds adapt by adjusting the frequency of their songs to help them be heard above the noise.
Researchers highlight the underuse of Japanese bird banding data in avian movement research, revealing gaps in our understanding of East Asian migratory birds. The study proposes improving data accessibility and integrating traditional methods with modern tracking technologies to advance conservation efforts.
The Cuban blue-headed quail dove is an enigmatic bird species with a perplexing evolutionary history. Its DNA analysis reveals it to be more distinct from other doves than previously thought, dating back at least 50 million years.
The 2025 US State of the Birds Report reveals continued widespread declines in American bird populations across all mainland and marine habitats. Over one-third of US bird species are at high or moderate conservation concern, with 112 species facing severe population losses.
Researchers at Cornell Lab of Ornithology use acoustic monitoring to track forest bird species and inform forest management decisions. The study creates detailed maps showing where different birds are likely to live, helping managers make better-informed decisions about thinning forests or conducting controlled burns.
Researchers found that birds of similar age tend to have more similar repertoires, while mixed-age neighbourhoods exhibit higher cultural diversity. The pace of song turnover is driven by individuals coming and going, with older birds serving as 'cultural repositories' of older song types.
Researchers compared feathers and bodies of flightless birds and their flying relatives, finding that some features change relatively quickly. The study sheds light on evolution of complex traits that lose original function, and could help reveal which fossil birds were flightless.
Researchers used mitogenome data to discover many species colonized Aotearoa at the start of the Ice Age, likely from Australia. Iconic endemic birds, like Haast's eagle, are actually Ice Age arrivals, not recent immigrants.
Researchers mapped bird brain regions and found similar cellular composition and evolution across species. Certain excitatory neurons have a common evolutionary origin, challenging existing assumptions about brain region evolution.
A comprehensive global study reveals pesticides are a major contributor to the biodiversity crisis, affecting over 800 species of plants, animals, fungi, and microbes. The research highlights the need for policies and practices to reduce pesticide use, including regenerative agriculture and Integrated Pest Management.
Researchers at Penn State developed a new method to analyze bird songs, revealing context dependence and underlying neurobiology. The study suggests that auditory feedback plays a key role in creating context dependence, and may hold insights into the neural mechanisms of human language.
Researchers have found biofluorescence in 37 of the 45 known birds-of-paradise species, suggesting it plays a crucial role in male-male interactions and mating displays. The phenomenon is most prominent in males' bright plumage and skin areas highlighted during courtship displays.
A fully preserved skull of Diatryma, a 45-million-year-old flightless bird, has been discovered in the Geiseltal Collection at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. The fossil, which was initially misclassified as a crocodile skull, provides new insights into the evolution of animals during the Eocene Epoch.
Researchers found that cavity-nesting birds are more likely to use shed snake skins in their construction, which helps deter predators from eating eggs. The practice is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation to reduce nest predation, with benefits most strongly expressed in cavity nests.
Lekking, a mating system where males display for females without forming lasting bonds, is found to be remarkably stable and rarely evolves into other systems. In contrast, resource-defense polygamy is identified as fragile and frequently reverts to monogamy, often associated with higher extinction rates.
Researchers discovered that hummingbird bills are surprisingly flexible and play an essential role in drawing up nectar. The bird's intricate bill movements, combined with its lapping mechanism and Poiseuille flow, make it a rare example of using both fluid collection methods.
Researchers have discovered a remarkably well-preserved fossil bird from the Mesozoic Era, which has been digitally reconstructed to reveal its brain structure. The discovery, named Navaornis hestiae, fills a 70-million-year gap in our understanding of how birds evolved and provides insights into their cognitive abilities.
A study by Louisiana State University and other institutions reveals the connection between owl habitat selection and an urban landscape, highlighting the need to study animal behavior during both active and inactive periods. This research informs how urban spaces can be designed to accommodate wildlife while supporting human residents.
Researchers found that while protected areas show promise for some bird species, many others suffer from limited effectiveness. The study used citizen science platforms to analyze data from over 90 million records and identified a need for better staffing and funding to support endangered species.
Researchers found that bats' forelimbs and hindlimbs evolved together due to correlated bone shapes, unlike birds. This suggests that bats may struggle to adapt to new environments. In contrast, bird species show little correlation between wing and leg shapes, enabling them to occupy a wider range of ecological niches.
The exhibit featured a live laboratory where paleontologists and volunteers cleaned and prepared specimens from the Montbrook site. Participants were excited to interact with scientists and answer questions about fossils.
A Colombian research team introduced transformative mapping techniques using community science data and innovative modeling to create detailed maps of bird species distribution across Colombia. These maps showcase the country's biodiversity, particularly in understudied regions like the Andean-Amazon transition zone.
A new genomic study reveals high genetic diversity and low inbreeding in the endangered Oriental Stork population, a common finding in many critically endangered species. The study provides hope for the species' long-term survival and suggests that protecting its habitats could rapidly rescue this species from extinction.
Researchers from UMass Amherst have identified a key connection between ecology and speciation in Darwin's finches, famous residents of the Gal pagos Islands, Ecuador. The study shows that beak-driven changes to song impact species recognition, driving the separation of species.
Researchers found that the presence of Oecophylla ants at base of mountains drives insect-eating bird diversity to mid-elevations. At lower elevations, bird groups competing with ants reduce in diversity.
The American Ornithological Society has awarded four $15,000 Kessel Fellowships to Dr. Andre Moncrieff, Glaucia Del-Rio, Felicity L. Newell, and Anne Ausems for their ornithological research in Arctic and tropical ecosystems. The fellowships aim to investigate the drivers and mechanisms of population change and the ultimate impacts on ...
Researchers discovered that seabirds like albatrosses and penguins have sensory receptors and nerves in their beaks that could aid in finding food. This ability might enable the birds to detect tiny vibrations from potential prey, potentially helping conserve these critically endangered species.
A new study reveals that the Amazon's remarkable variety of plants and animals was shaped by woodlands and savannas connecting forest islands during the last Ice Age. The researchers used advanced climate and vegetation modelling techniques to provide a new understanding of the region's evolution.
Research explores changes in global precipitation patterns and how they relate to climate change. Bird nests are found to predict rainfall in rural India, while heat stress is increasing in the southeastern US, particularly at night. European 'bomb' storms may intensify due to warming climate.
A new study finds that the ancient bird Longipteryx ate fruits, contrary to previous hypotheses that it feasted on fish or insects. The discovery was made by analyzing fossilized seeds in the bird's stomach, which suggest a mixed diet including fruits and possibly insects when they were not available.
Over a 22-year period, researchers found significant cultural changes in the dialects of yellow-naped amazon parrots, including shifting dialect boundaries and new call variants. The findings suggest that the species' vocal learning ability may serve an adaptive role in responding to changing social dynamics.
A new study from the Cusack group sheds light on how avian influenza virus can mutate to replicate in mammalian cells. The key enzyme polymerase must adapt to overcome two main barriers: entering and replicating within host cells, as well as acquiring human transmission capabilities.
The American Ornithological Society has announced its 2024 award winners in recognition of outstanding contributions to the scientific study and conservation of birds. Juan Carlos Reboreda and René Duckworth were awarded for their significant work on behavioral ecology, conservation, and evolutionary changes in bird behavior.
A new study reveals that mining activities pose a significant threat to vertebrate species worldwide, with over 4,642 species at risk. The main drivers of this threat are mining for materials essential to clean energy technologies like lithium, cobalt, and limestone.
Researchers used a family tree of 9,409 bird species to explore the spread of color across the globe. They found that iridescence originated outside of the tropics and in most cases arose 415 times across the bird tree of life, suggesting the common ancestor of all modern birds likely had iridescent feathers too.
Researchers found that domestic hens exhibit distinct facial expressions, including flushing and feather fluffing, to convey different emotions. The study provides a window into the emotional lives of farmed poultry, potentially improving their welfare.
The 65th Supplement to the American Ornithological Society's Check-list of North American Birds includes significant updates to bird species classifications. Species splits for House Wrens and Barn Owls, as well as a lumping of Redpolls, are among the changes. These revisions provide taxonomic and nomenclatural foundation for bird rese...
New research reveals surprising differences in songbirds' diets and gut microbiomes in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Contrary to expectations, birds growing up in radiologically contaminated habitats have a higher diversity of insects in their diet.
A study published in Ecology Letters found that humans have a greater impact on alien species diversity than geographic variables on most islands. Human factors such as colonisation pressure, habitat modification, and connectivity drive disparities in functional and phylogenetic diversity.
A new legal requirement for developers to demonstrate a biodiversity boost in planning applications may not be effective in improving bird and butterfly populations. Despite this, researchers suggest that the metric can capture plant biodiversity well, but needs improvement to reflect ecosystem intricacies.
Hybrids between two manakin species in Panama have remained relatively stable over the past 30 years, with minimal changes in genomic markers. The phenotypic transition zone also shows stability, with only one trait having shifted location, suggesting a potential selection for green bellies.
The American Ornithological Society has announced its 2024 award winners for early-career professionals, highlighting exceptional research in ornithology. The recipients include Sheela P. Turbek and Jessie L. Williamson, recognized for their work on bird diversity, behavior, and conservation.
Climate change may enable parrot colonization in Polish cities due to rising temperatures and altered ecosystems. The frequency of escaped parrots in urban areas could be an early sign of this phenomenon.
A group of scientists has released a first-of-its-kind list of bird species that haven't been seen in over a decade, using public media databases. The study found 144 species, mostly threatened with extinction, with most concentrated in Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
Scientists studying the rifleman bird found that its vocal signatures are similar when birds live near each other, suggesting they may learn their sounds. This challenges the traditional view of birds as either vocal learners or non-learners, and raises the possibility that many bird species possess rudimentary learning abilities.
Researchers have discovered that soaring birds use their lungs to enhance their flying capabilities by modifying the biomechanics of their flight muscles. The unique air sac, known as a subpectoral diverticulum, increases the force used to power flight muscles while soaring.