A new study knocks down a popular hypothesis about why birds sing at dawn
The reason why birds make such a racket at dawn is still unclear. But researchers are now pouring cold water on one popular idea about why.
birds
Backyard feeders changed the shape of hummingbird beaks, scientists say
A new study details the evolutionary change of Anna's Hummingbirds, finding their beaks have grown longer and more tapered to get the most from common feeders.
She's 74 — and expecting: Wisdom the albatross astounds once again
It started in the Eisenhower era: Every year, Wisdom, a Layan albatross, has returned to her nesting grounds on the Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
Small fossil has big implications for bird brain evolution
Birds descended from the dinosaurs, but researchers have known relatively little about how the bird's brain took shape over millions of years. A new fossil sheds light on that mystery.
When birds build nests, they're also building a culture
Nest-building isn’t just instinct. Birds can learn from others, letting groups within one species develop their own distinctive nest-building traditions.
Crows can count out loud like human toddlers — when they aren't cheating the test
A study finds that carrion crows can be taught to count and make vocalizations that indicate the number counted, much in the same way that human toddlers do.
'Chimney caps, vent pipes, gutters': Why some woodpeckers are major metal heads
When an NPR reporter heard a startling loud metallic noise in her house, she was about to get an interesting lesson in animal behavior.
On this unassuming trail near LA, bird watchers see something spectacular
At Bear Divide, just outside Los Angeles, you can see a rare spectacle of nature. This is one of the only places in the western United States where you can see bird migration during daylight hours.
Sweary parrots become unlikely stars at a British zoo ($#@%!)
The profane parrots please patrons, despite the staff's fears that visitors might be scandalized from hearing so much salty language from the birds.
These songbirds sing for hours a day to keep their vocal muscles in shape
Zebra finches who did not sing every day quickly lose their vocal prowess, a new study finds. The results could potentially shed light on vocal rehabilitation for humans, too.