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About Birds

How Well Do We Really Know Cardinals?
December 20, 2018 — New research provides support for splitting the Northern Cardinal into multiple species.
Bird Science
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
Drinker of Bird Tears, Moth of Your Nightmares
September 28, 2018 — In the Amazon, a scientist caught an unusual and intimate interaction on film: a moth drinking from an antbird's eyeball.
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
No, That's Not an Owl Outside Your Window
August 31, 2018 — It's probably a Mourning Dove. Here's the difference between their calls.
Bird Questions and Facts
Better Know a Bird: The American Coot and Its Wonderfully Weird Feet
August 13, 2018 — The odd-looking foot is perfectly built for getting around on land or water. It's not bad for a little wrestling, either.
The Origins of Hummingbirds Are Still a Major Mystery
July 12, 2018 — There is a dazzling diversity of the tiny birds in the Americas, but recent discoveries trace their evolution back to Europe—where today there are no nectar-feeding species.
Bird Science
A Hat Tip to the Women Who Started Modern Bird Conservation in the U.S.
June 08, 2018 — A New York Historical Society exhibit reveals how fashion propelled one of the first great conservation movements.
Conservation News
Is It Okay to Remove Cowbird Eggs From Host Nests?
June 06, 2018 — It can be tempting to interfere with these brood parasites. But there are many reasons—legal and behavioral—to leave tampering to the pros.
Bird Nests and Breeding