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Bird Science

A Mallard walks along the frozen surface of icy water.
How Birds Keep Their Feet From Freezing in Frigid Temperatures
January 26, 2026 — Ever wonder how ducks can stand on ice for hours? The key is this clever physiological adaptation.
Mark Hauber inspects a nest in a tree using a telescopic mirror.
Got Beef With Cowbirds? This Researcher Wants to Change Your Mind
January 15, 2026 — The brood parasites get a bad rap for making other birds raise their young, but study by study, Mark Hauber and his “Cowbird Lab” have revealed a species worthy of respect.
A macaw eating a green chili pepper its holding in its claw.
Hot Take—Seems Like Birds Can Taste Spice After All
December 23, 2025 — Peppers in the wild grow only so spicy, and new research suggests that may be to satisfy avian palates.
Two owl chicks sit in a nest as their much larger mother, with a rodent in her beak, comes in for a landing atop a broken tree snag.
Dead Trees Support a Bounty of Birdlife, but Preserving Them Isn’t Always Clear Cut
December 18, 2025 — By studying Great Gray Owls, scientists hope to help more people see that snags offer vital habitat.
Conservation News
With a lab coat and gloves on Maria Ortega inspects multiple trays of nest materials in her lab.
Scientists Are Now Finding Microplastics in Backyard Birds
December 17, 2025 — The tiny particles are widespread in waterbirds around the world. New research is finding them in neighborhood songbirds, too.
A person's hands sort through small bones and bits of fur with a toothpick on a white surface.
Where Do Owl Pellets Actually Come From? Inside the Unusual Business of Bird Barf
December 02, 2025 — From roost to retail, a network of field scouts and suppliers collect and process the regurgitated balls of bones that students dissect in science classrooms across the country.
Flock of seabirds in water
When Ships Meet Seabirds: Mapping Risk in Alaska’s Waters
October 08, 2025 — Alaska’s seas are becoming increasingly busy highways for vessels, posing growing risks for seabirds during one of their most vulnerable times—fall migration.
AK Coasts and Oceans
A mother Wild Turkey hen perches on a sturdy branch with her wings spread, protecting her small chicks.
The Wild Turkey Is a Comeback Bird We Can’t Take for Granted
September 19, 2025 — From bustling towns to rural woodlands, turkeys seem to be everywhere these days. But despite being an undeniable conservation success, questions still loom about the fate of this beloved yet confounding bird.
Feature Stories
Two researchers, with equipment and notebooks splayed across a boardwalk in a forest, sit cross-legged while they record data.
Scientists Can Now Track How High Songbirds Fly Over the Ocean—a Potential Lifesaver
September 19, 2025 — Researchers are gathering new insights that improve migration science and may help make offshore wind energy more friendly to small birds with big treks.
Bird Migration
A Common Myna stands on a railing with its beak open, vocalizing.
Sleepy Birds Are Lousy Singers, Study Finds
August 21, 2025 — Just like people, songbirds are groggy and quiet after a rough night’s sleep—a sign that urban noise and light may leave them less fit for reproduction and survival.