Articles by Mike VanHelder

News

Inside the World of Elite Bird Costuming

By Mike VanHelder
June 30, 2017 — A niche part of the larger "furry" subculture, bird costumers create carefully crafted, life-size versions of avians and other bird-like creatures.
Audubon in Action

Washington State Audubon Chapters Rally to Help Save the Marbled Murrelet

By Mike VanHelder
January 26, 2017 — This seabird with unusual nesting habits is endangered due to loss of old-growth forest stands in the Pacific Northwest.
News

New Research Shows Hummingbirds Need Exceptional Brains to Hover

By Mike VanHelder
January 06, 2017 — Moving in all directions requires some serious brainpower.
News

Scientists Discover First Mummified Example of a Feathered Dinosaur Tail

By Mike VanHelder
December 09, 2016 — The rare, amber-encased fossil, which belonged to a young coelurosaur, tells a new story about feather evolution.
Science

The Common Swift Is No Longer the Fastest-Flying Animal

By Mike VanHelder
November 21, 2016 — And here's a surprise: It wasn't even dethroned by another bird.
Science

Scientists Finally Have Evidence That Frigatebirds Sleep While Flying

By Mike VanHelder
August 11, 2016 — According to a new study, the birds can stay aloft for weeks by power napping in ten-second bursts.
News

Genes Play a Big Role in Songbirds' Travel Plans

By Mike VanHelder
July 29, 2016 — New research shows that Swainson's Thrushes use a "genetic map" to pick their migration routes.
Culture

The Audubon Guide to Catching "Birds" in Pokémon Go

By Mike VanHelder
July 14, 2016 — Flying pokémon are everywhere. Here's how you can master them—both in your neighborhood and at your nearest Audubon Pokéstop.
News

New Bulbul Species Was Hiding in Plain Sight, Scientists Say

By Mike VanHelder
July 06, 2016 — In a classic case of cryptic speciation, one South Asian songbird is found to have a doppelganger.
Dino-Birds

A Stunning Look at the First 3-D Prehistoric Bird Wings Ever Found by Scientists

By Mike VanHelder
June 30, 2016 — The fossils were discovered in Myanmar amber—a form of mummification that's typical for insects.