Articles by Asher Elbein
Culture
When Is a Bird a ‘Birb’? An Extremely Important Guide
December 12, 2019 — The internet meme has been around for seven years now, so it's high time we establish some ground rules.
News
Proposed Pipeline Would Cut Through Golden-cheeked Warbler Habitat
June 28, 2019 — The Permian Highway gas project plans to use eminent domain to seize and raze swaths of Texas Hill Country—home to the endangered songbird.
Culture
Did Neanderthals Catch and Kill Golden Eagles for Their Feathers and Talons?
June 21, 2019 — New evidence suggests that the ancient hominids held raptors in high esteem—and might have even passed that practice to us.
Culture
Is the Mothman of West Virginia an Owl?
October 26, 2018 — More than 50 years after the first sighting, the best explanation for the infamous cryptid might be a nocturnal bird of prey. Audubon investigates.
Science
This Fossil Is Probably the First to Preserve Ancient Bird Lungs
October 25, 2018 — If so, the similarity of the 120-million-year-old organs to those in modern birds sheds new light on avian evolution.
Conservation
Boom or Bust: The Last Stand of the Attwater's Prairie-Chicken
August 6, 2018 — Each summer captive breeders release hundreds of the birds into Texan prairies—but few survive. Maybe, just maybe, this year they'll get lucky.
Culture
Sirens of Greek Myth Were Bird-Women, Not Mermaids
April 6, 2018 — A new translation of Homer’s Odyssey corrects the record: The Sirens' seductive power lies with their otherworldly, avian knowledge.
Dino-Birds
This Newly Discovered Dino-Bird Sported Flashy, Iridescent Feathers
January 23, 2018 — A Chinese fossil suggests that some feathered dinosaurs flaunted glamorous getups to rival the colorful displays of modern birds.
Science
New Aquatic Dinosaur Find Is a Strange and Startling Avian Hodgepodge
December 6, 2017 — A swan-like neck, penguin-like flippers, and a duck-like posture combine to make a bizarre new addition to the world of dinosaurs.
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