Topics Explore Birds

About Birds

Hot, Bothered, and Parasite-free: Why Birds Sun Themselves
February 27, 2020 — Avian sunbathing has mystified ornithologists for decades, but some recent research is confirming an old suspicion that the behavior helps fend off lice.
Bird Behavior
The Wild Blue Turkey That Blew My Mind
November 26, 2019 — Appreciating the avian diversity that’s there to astound us—if only we look.
Bird Feathers and Colors
10 Fun Facts About the Northern Mockingbird
October 30, 2019 — There's more to this flying copycat than meets the eye . . . or ear.
Bird Questions and Facts
How Orioles Build Those Incredible Hanging Nests
August 06, 2019 — The delicate-looking structures are stronger than they seem, and come in a variety of shapes and materials.
Bird Nests and Breeding
Do Magpies Like Stealing Shiny Things?
April 15, 2019 — An experiment put the bird's thieving reputation to the test.
Bird Questions and Facts
Watch a Black Heron Fool Fish by Turning Into an Umbrella
January 17, 2019 — The behavior, called canopy feeding, is an especially effective way to hunt.
Bird Behavior
What's Up With the Weird Mouths of These Finch Chicks?
January 08, 2019 — Coming in many shapes, colors, and sizes, strange mouth markings might aid in chick survival.
Bird Questions and Facts
7 Hummingbirds That Wear Pants With Flair (Plus One Bonus)
December 14, 2018 — Meet the "puffleg” birds of the Latin American tropics, covered in feathers all the way down.
Bird Science
Get to Know the Bee Hummingbird, the World’s Smallest Bird
September 17, 2018 — Only found in Cuba, these birds lay their eggs in nests the size of a quarter.
Bird Questions and Facts
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.
Bird Behavior