Why We Didn’t Know That Female Birds Sing

Science and science communication are better when they’re inclusive

Female birds sing. That is one of the revelations of our 2020 study on one of the most abundant, widespread, well-studied bird species in the world: the barn swallow. Despite the well over 1,000 scientific publications about this species, female barn swallow song had never previously been the focus of a research article. Why does it matter that female song has been ignored in this bird that breeds across most of the Northern Hemisphere?

New York City Birders Reckon With a Colonial Past and Push for a Diverse Future

A pandemic-inspired boom has bird lovers looking for ways to welcome new enthusiasts

Three mockingbirds descend upon a frightful scene in John James Audubon’s The Birds of America. A rattlesnake constricts the birds’ nest and bares its fangs as the gray and white birds surround the snake and extend their wings. The conflict is frozen in time on a page of this massive tome, first published in 1827 and housed at the New York Public Library.

Biden Admin Largely Restores Habitat for Threatened Owls, Reversing Trump's Deep Cuts

The imperilled northern spotted owl has won a reprieve.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) moved Tuesday to reverse a Trump administration decision that would have opened millions of acres of the owl's West Coast forest habitat to potential logging, arguing that Trump political appointees acted on inaccurate science. "You can't remove over a third of an endangered species' habitat and not expect it to go extinct," FWS Oregon supervisor Paul Henson told The AP of the Trump administration plan.

Advocates: Court Deal A Win For Endangered ‘I‘iwi Bird

The agreement could serve as a model to help save Hawaii’s other endangered honeycreeper species, they said.

In a new court settlement, federal wildlife officials have agreed to finally put forth by December 2022 a proposed critical habitat area that might rescue Hawaii’s imperiled ‘i‘iwi.

That proposal is already overdue by at least three years, according to court documents.

Maine Bird Species May Become Extinct in Our Lifetime as Climate Warms

Several Maine bird species are threatened as the climate warms. One might well go extinct, another may simply move north.

On a small salt marsh, near the mouth of the Presumpscot River, Doug Hitchcox kneels and spreads apart some of the coarse marsh grass. He’s a naturalist with Maine Audubon and is showing us where the small Saltmarsh sparrows build nests, and why their future in Maine may be bleak because of a changing climate.

Stupid Turkeys? Scientists Say That the Unfairly Maligned Bird May Actually Be Stuffed With Smarts

Despite their reputation, turkeys are highly intelligent birds with unique, under-appreciated evolutionary quirks

There is an old myth about turkeys that never seems to die. The basic premise is this: Every time there is a rainstorm, turkeys will turn their heads upward out of curiosity to observe the drops as they fall. Because they are reputed to be unintelligent, the folk tale says the turkeys will remain in this position even after it has become difficult to breath. Eventually, the turkeys will drown. The moral, it seems, is that turkeys are literally too dumb to survive.

The World's Largest Eagle Hunted Unlike Any Other Bird of Prey

Scientists have discovered how a bird of prey dubbed 'the flying tiger' could take down one of the heaviest birds that ever lived.

A new study found that Haast's eagle used its huge talons to topple one of the heaviest birds that ever lived before delivering the killing blow with its beak and then eating its insides like a vulture. 

The world's largest-ever eagle acted like a vulture-raptor hybrid, taking down prey before eating its insides.

Birding Today: Smallest Owl in World Makes Home in Desert Southwest

African and Native American cultures consider the owl evil or an omen of illness. As uncommon as most owls are, they prefer to avoid humanity as much as many people consider them a foreboding entity. Considering that the less than 6-inch-long Elf Owl that weighs less than an ounce and a half with thin eyebrows and a squeaky bark, one is reminded more of a toy than a symbol of the occult. To make them even more an appearance of harmlessness, their round heads without ear tufts or feathers atop the head could not be further from the appearance of Yoda, not that Yoda could be considered a harbinger of negativity.

They’re Spreading the Joy of Birding—and Making It More Inclusive

A birding podcast host, a science journalist, and a conservationist strive to share their passion with more BIPOC birders like themselves. Each spring and autumn, during peak migration, the skies and treetops are abuzz with avian activity as billions of birds move across the United States. It makes no difference if you live in the city, the suburbs, or the country: thousands of birds are passing through your area. Many are just stopping by to rest and eat to fuel their journey ahead. Others will hang around for a few months to care for new chicks, taking advantage of the abundant wild food supply (read: insects, mostly) in your neighborhood.

The Great Blue Heron, Patient Hunter

I don’t remember when I first encountered this magnificent bird. But it left a lasting impression, so much so that I made it part of my company’s logo.

Standing 38-43 inches high and boasting a wingspan of six feet, it’s hard to miss. The blue part of its name is a bit confusing much like a Purple Finch that looks red or a Red-bellied Woodpecker whose belly is a very faint rusty color since the Great Blue Heron’s coloration is mostly a slate-gray with some black and brown accents. This is the largest and most widespread heron in North America so it’s a good chance you may have seen it.

Did Benjamin Franklin Really Want the Turkey To Be the US National Bird?

Probably not. But there's more to the story than meets the eye. There's a story that Benjamin Franklin thought the turkey should be the national bird instead of the eagle. In a 1784 letter addressed to Sarah, his daughter, Franklin wrote: "For my own part I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his living honestly.

Striking Portraits of Rare and Endangered birds Capture Their Unique Personalities

Incredible bird portraits have been released in a new book by one of Britain's most iconic wildlife photographers.

These pictures were captured by internationally acclaimed photographer Tim Flach for his new book BIRDS, with text by Richard O. Prum. Tim Flach has captured more than 180 extraordinary photographs of some of Earth's most magnetic living beings. In his book, BIRDS Flach evokes the magnificence of the animal kingdom and the urgent need to protect and defend it.

Bird Photographer of the Year 2021 Winners

With over 22,000 images entered into the competition this year, Bird Photographer of the Year is pleased to present our winners. Celebrating bird life from around the world, these images comprise some of the most incredible bird photos in the world taken by talented photographers.

Taking the title of Bird Photographer of the Year, our Overall Winner is ‘Blocked’ by Alejandro Prieto. It features a roadrunner at a new section of the border wall between Mexico and the USA. Prieto wins the top prize of £5,000 and the prestigious title. His image also won Gold Award in the Birds in the Environment category.