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Bird Science

Portrait of an American Crow standing on a railing.
Are Crows and Parrots Really the Smartest Birds?
November 03, 2026 — Parrots and corvids have long been hailed as the undisputed geniuses of the bird world, but a new analysis reveals that 98 percent of species haven’t even had their intelligence tested.
A young Great Horned Owl regurgitates a slimy looking brown pellet while its sibling watches.
What Is an Owl Pellet? (It’s Not What You Think)
October 30, 2026 — Owl pellets aren't poop, and they're not vomit either. Here's what's actually inside those furry nuggets, how they form, and what you need to know to dissect them.
Bird Questions and Facts
Andrew George points to a small geolocator device attached to a female Prothonotary Warbler. The yellow songbird is held gently after being banded and tagged for tracking at Wyandotte County Lake Park.
Prothonotary Warblers in Kansas City Have a Secret. Can a Team of Volunteers Figure It Out?
October 30, 2026 — Where a population of Prothonotary Warblers in Kansas City went every winter was a mystery. Chapter members from Burroughs Audubon Society decided to solve it.
Audubon Chapters
A huge colony of bats fly towards light shining through the opening of a cave.
In a Sky Ruled by Ancient Birds, Bats Conquered the Dark
October 23, 2026 — More than 50 million years ago, bats first took flight, carving out their own nighttime niche to avoid avian rivals and dangerous daytime skies.
Not Birds
Flocks of Purple Martins fly over an urban scene at dusk.
Nearly Half of U.S. Bird Migration Hotspots Are in Cities—Here's Why That Matters
September 16, 2026 — A surprising number of migrating birds are choosing to stop in metropolitan areas, researchers found, raising the stakes for urban conservation efforts.
Bird Migration
A Eurasian Blackbird perched on a mossy branch in a forest, singing.
Which Birdsong Is the Most Beautiful? Here's What Scientists Found
September 09, 2026 — In a new study of European bird species, participants picked the Eurasian Blackbird’s serenade as the most pleasing thanks to acoustic qualities that seem to have universal appeal.
Bird Songs and Calls
A female Wilson's Warbler perched on a leafy branch holding a green caterpillar in her beak.
Many Female Songbirds Have Shorter Lifespans Than Males, Scientists Find
September 02, 2026 — A massive study uncovered significant survival differences between the two sexes of North America's perching birds.
Two shorebird chicks in hand
Gambling With Gulls, Beleaguered Bogs, and Other Stories
August 17, 2026 — Shorebird news from Cook Inlet’s 2026 breeding season.
ALASKA
Man with backpack on landscape
A Safer Shot: How Copper Ammunition Can Help Protect Alaska’s Birds
August 14, 2026 — When hunters field dress their harvest, nutrient-rich remains are left in the field and are an important food source for birds. However, there is a hidden danger within that resource.
ALASKA Bird News
Rare Footage Shows Woodcock Hens Fending Off an Unlikely Nest Intruder: Deer
August 12, 2026 — White-tailed deer are known to opportunistically eat bird eggs and possibly even chicks—but camera traps in West Virginia showed some female birds are surprisingly fearless in fending them off.
Bird Behavior