Science

It's Hard to Know When a Species Is Extinct. A Mathematical Model Could Help.
September 20, 2018 — The first results show that eight rare birds are goners. Conservationists hope they can use the science to focus on species with a chance of survival.
A Popular New Migration Tool Could Save Birds from Deadly Building Collisions
September 14, 2018 — BirdCast can accurately forecast the biggest migration movements days in advance. This is good news for birds and birders alike.
In Alaska, Starving Seabirds and Empty Colonies Signal a Broken Ecosystem
September 11, 2018 — Mass die-offs and breeding failures, now ongoing for years, have marine biologists worried that this is a new normal caused by climate change.
Shrikes Have an Absolutely Brutal Way of Killing Large Prey
September 06, 2018 — Famous for impaling their victims, these songbirds first use a special maneuver to break the necks of small rodents.
This Bizarre Bird Is a Master of Choreography
September 05, 2018 — Queen Bey would approve.
How the House Sparrow Conquered the World Is Encoded in Its Genes
August 21, 2018 — The species, found in urban areas around the globe, can digest starchy grains—which helps explain its close bond with people and its love of pizza.
Why Maine's Baby Puffins Are Growing So Slowly This Year
August 16, 2018 — Many pufflings still have their immature downy feathers and have yet to fledge—signs of climate change tampering with seabird diets and survival.
Bird Population Plummets in Piñon Forests Pummeled by Climate Change
August 14, 2018 — In just a decade, three quarters of birds vanished after drought, heat stress, and beetles killed millions of piñon trees in the southwest.
Court Orders EPA to Ban Pesticide Harmful to Children and Birds Within 60 Days
August 10, 2018 — Last year the agency revoked a proposed ban on chlorpyrifos, which causes brain damage, against the recommendation of its own science.
What Are Fecal Sacs? Bird Diapers, Basically
August 07, 2018 — That's right, many chicks produce a portable case for their poop. Here are some possible reasons why.