Bird Science

November 24, 2021 — In some species, many adults wear different color patterns from others. Kenn Kaufman explains the phenomenon, and the lingo to describe it.

July 08, 2021 — In a new report, experts ruled out a range of causes, but they still recommend taking down feeders until the source of the disease is identified.

April 09, 2021 — To power perilous journeys, birds undergo extreme feats like doubling their body weight and rearranging or even consuming their internal organs.

March 26, 2021 — Timberdoodles have one of the wildest mating rituals among North American birds, and you should definitely check it out. Here’s how.

October 05, 2020 — From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.

July 02, 2020 — A modified dialect of male song began in a local population in western Canada and, in two decades, traveled to birds more than 1,800 miles away.

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.

January 08, 2019 — Coming in many shapes, colors, and sizes, strange mouth markings might aid in chick survival.

December 14, 2018 — Meet the "puffleg” birds of the Latin American tropics, covered in feathers all the way down.

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.